Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
246. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that taxi drivers are presently only able to transfer their plates on the event of their death, not even upon retirement or in case of ill health; and his views on whether this is fair. [16535/23]
View answer251. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport the engagement he has had with taxi drivers who rent their plates, rather than owning them. [16586/23]
View answer252. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that, for the purposes of insurance, taxi drivers must include the plate owner on their insurance policy, despite the fact that the owner does not drive the cab, greatly increasing the cost of insurance. [16587/23]
View answer253. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that rents for taxi plates have increased significantly due to a lack of supply. [16588/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 246, 251, 252 and 253 together.
The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry including licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector.
As the Deputy is aware the transfer of licences for SPSVs is, at present, prohibited under section 14(1) of the Taxi Regulation Act, 2013. All SPSV vehicle licences are unique to the person to whom the licence has been issued and cannot be transferred or sold to another person.
In 2011, the Taxi Review Group examined standards and practice in the taxi sector. This Review Group included various stakeholders, such as dispatch operators, drivers, consumers, as well as the regulatory and enforcement agencies. The Review Group considered that it was necessary to move away from a system whereby a licence would have value. Instead, a licence should determine a person’s suitability to carry out a function and it should not have monetary value or be traded on the open market. Therefore, the current licensing regime is built on this principle. An SPSV licence should simply indicate a person’s suitability to carry out the role of taxi operator, as decided by Revenue, An Garda Síochána and the NTA.
The Advisory Committee on SPSVs is the central focus on engagement with the SPSV sector in relation to issues affecting the sector. Drivers are an important part of the Committee’s membership, and four positions on the Committee, which are reserved for members who can represent driver interests, are filled by licensed SPSV drivers from across the country. I am satisfied that this ensures the Committee’s advice is informed by the perspective of drivers.
The Committee sent advice to me recently on this subject which indicates that it is not in favour of reverting to a legal situation which allows for the transferability of SPSV licences. I have considered the Committee's Report and I accept the Committee's advice on this issue.
Under the current SPSV Regulations, the holder of a taxi, hackney, or limousine vehicle licence may rent or lease a licence to another person. Further information on rules for such rental agreements is available on the NTA's website.
In relation to the issue of insurance, disclosures on policy documents for the purpose of obtaining insurance, are matters for the individual insurance companies concerned.
