Vol. 436 No. 4
42 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment if taxi licences are more widely available in view of the terms of the Road Traffic Bill, 1993; if not, if he intends to make them so; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In relation to all taximeter areas other than the Dublin taximeter area, new taxi licences may be granted where the relevant local authority authorises this. The power to authorise the granting of new taxi licences for the Dublin taximeter area is currently vested in the Minister for the Environment. I have no proposals at this stage to authorise extra taxi licences for that area.
There are no numerical restrictions on the granting of new private hire (hackney) licences; such licences may be granted to suitable applicants by the Garda Commissioner.
