Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Mar 1998

Vol. 489 No. 2

Written Answers. - Public Service Vehicles.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

142 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the person with the responsibility to check and police the hackney drivers operating in the greater Dublin area; if it is the function of the Carriage Office or of each individual Garda station; the number of times this role is exercised; if he will allay the perception that many drivers operating from hackney offices do not hold hackney licences and probably are not insured to carry for reward; if he can provide statistics for the number of checks made, unauthorised drivers found and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7777/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the enforcement of the law in relation to small public service vehicles is the responsibility of all uniformed gardaí in the Dublin Metropolitan Area and members from the Carriage Office at Dublin Castle.

I have been assured by the Garda authorities that the enforcement of the law governing the operation of the service referred to by the Deputy is given a high priority and all complaints are fully investigated. Where breaches of the law are detected, the gardaí take appropriate action.

The statistics sought are not readily available and could only be compiled by the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of Garda time and resources.