Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2022
142. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider extending the age limit so that taxi licence holders can recoup losses and build finance and a good financial record to allow them purchase replacement vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28030/22]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including vehicle age limits for SPSVs, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
In this regard, the Deputy should be aware that the NTA has extended vehicle age limits several times since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with standard age limits for taxis and hackneys now waived through to the end of 2022, thereby ensuring no operator exits the industry simply because of the need to replace a vehicle.
The NTA's extension of age limits is an emergency measure, taken in recognition of the particular challenges occasioned by COVID-19. The ten-year rule was recommended by the 2011 Taxi Regulation Review and came about following a public consultation on vehicle standards for taxis, hackneys, and limousines held that year. It was adopted in recognition of the need to strike a balance between achieving standards that offer the customer confidence, comfort and safety, and allowing industry members to operate successfully, cogniscant of the fact that the replacement of a vehicle is a SPSV operator's single largest cost. There is no consideration being given to amending these age-related rules now, or at any time in the future.
I remain committed to supporting the transition of the SPSV fleet towards zero/low-emission vehicles. The SPSV industry is regarded as a champion in the normalisation of electric vehicle use. The Scheme is funded by the Department and administered by the NTA. €15m was allocated in 2022 to support the industry to switch to electric. The Scheme is kept under continuous review and is currently paused to allow for the drawdown and payment of provisional grant offers. Once these grant offers have been drawn down, there will be a clearer picture of the funding available for the second half of the year and, at this stage, I anticipate the scheme will reopen for applications in the summer, allowing SPSV operators again to apply for the supports on offer.
