Vol. 554 No. 5
1232 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide assurances to taxi plate holders who suffered hardship due to deregulation that failure to make a submission to the Taxi Hardship Panel will not preclude such persons from availing of a possible scheme to relieve hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15587/02]
1233 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Transport when details of payments to be made by the Taxi Hardship Panel will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15639/02]
1237 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Transport if he has received the report of the Taxi Hardship Panel; and the compensation which will be made available to those affected by the deregulation of taxis. [15976/02]
1242 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Transport the progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Hardship Panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16539/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1232, 1233, 1237 and 1242 together.
On 8 February 2002 the decision to approve the appointment of a panel of three independent persons, to report in general terms on the nature and extent of extreme personal financial hardship which may have been experienced by individual taxi licence holders arising from loss of income as a direct result of the liberalisation of entry to the taxi industry on 21 November 2000 was announced.
The panel was also asked to include in its report an estimate of the numbers of individual licence holders involved, the likely financial implications and the recommended criteria for assessment of extreme personal financial hardship under any subsequent proposed response by Government.
I have recently received a copy of the panel's report and will give it careful consideration, following which I will bring it to Government.
While the panel sought submissions from individuals in the course of its deliberations, provision of assistance on the basis of the recommendations made by the panel in relation to the criteria for the determination of extreme personal financial hardship will not be limited to those who made such submissions.
