Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2021
162. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider extending the car life of taxis to accommodate taxi drivers who have not been able to earn over the past 18 months and as a result are not in a financial position to upgrade their vehicle. [36967/21]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including vehicle age limits, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
At the start of the pandemic, the NTA, the independent statutory regulator for the SPSV sector, immediately extended age limits for taxis and hackneys and has since done so twice more. The most recent extension, made in May, ensures no vehicle will be forced to exit the fleet due to age limits in 2021. Furthermore, I have asked officials in my department to engage with the NTA to work on bringing about an extension to the end of 2022.
I remain committed to supporting the transition of the SPSV fleet towards zero/low-emission vehicles, and I recognise the purchase of a vehicle is a major cost for taxi operators. That is why I have increased the funding available to the Electric SPSV (eSPSV) grant scheme for 2021 to €15 million. I also doubled the amount payable under the scheme to €20,000 for operators who scrap older vehicles and make the switch to full electric models.
