Vol. 551 No. 2
366 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has received the agreed proposals for taxi designated areas, as submitted and amended by the proposal of Castlebar Town Council, from the Office of the Garda Commissioner; if he has signed these proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10293/02]
The Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1995, as amended, include provisions in relation to the declaration of an area to be a taximeter area and the extension or other alteration of a taximeter area boundary. These are reserved functions of a local licensing authority.
Section 84 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 provides that the Garda Commissioner may, with the consent of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government and after consultation with the local authorities concerned, make by-laws for the purpose of appointing places where taxis may stand for hire. Once made by the Commissioner, the by-laws are submitted to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government for approval. In practice, drafts of by-laws are presented to my Department by the Garda in advance of the application of the statutory procedures.
Drafts of appointed stand by-laws for Castlebar submitted by the Garda have been examined by my Department. The latest submission was received last January and was returned the same month with suggested amendments.
When making the formal submission of the by-laws to the Minister, the Commissioner must also notify the local authorities concerned of the submission and a period of one month from the date of that notification must elapse before approval can be given to the by-laws. The month is to allow for consideration of any representations made to the Minister by the local authorities. A formal submission of the Castlebar by-laws, signed by the Garda Commissioner, is awaited by my Department.
