Vol. 513 No. 6
339 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if it is possible for taxi drivers to obtain a second licence from local authorities under the new scheme recently announced; the controls in place on the cost at which these plates can be resold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3245/00]
340 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the consideration, if any, he has given to allocating a proportion of all new taxi plates to local employment services in each region of Dublin city and county in view of the proposals he announced on the issuing of additional taxi licences for Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together. [3246/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together.
The revised An Action Programme for the Millennium undertook to improve the Dublin taxi service through the introduction of measures to increase the number of taxi licences in Dublin as quickly as possible in order to ensure a proper balance between supply and demand in the market. On 30 November 1999 the Government approved measures for the early grant of a large number of new taxi licences in Dublin, involving the offer of one additional taxi or wheelchair accessible taxi licence to each individual who held a licence at end 1999, as well as 500 further licences to be granted to applicants under the current points assessment system. Of the licences to be granted 500 will be in respect of wheelchair accessible taxis.
On 13 January 2000, I made regulations which establish an application process for all existing taxi licence holders in Dublin to apply for the grant of either a taxi or a wheelchair accessible taxi licence from Dublin Corporation. Individual notice to this effect has issued to all existing licence holders, and applications must be received by the corporation on or before 18 February 2000. The regulations also provide for the making of an offer to grant a wheelchair accessible taxi licence to each licence holder who expresses a preference for the grant of such a licence and who complies with the requirements of the regulations.
The remaining licences, including those to be offered to applicants under the current assessment system, are to be allocated in accordance with a scheme which I will shortly finalise. It is open to any individual to make application for the grant of one of the 500 licences under the assessment system. Such applications will be subject to the normal application process to be administered by Dublin Corporation. All licences to be granted will be transferable without restriction and restrictions on the transfer of certain existing taxi licences in Dublin will also cease with effect from 18 February 2000.
