The regulation of the taxi industry, including the setting of small public service vehicle driver licence fees, is a matter for the Commission for Taxi Regulation under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. Among the improvements to the quality of service provision being implemented by the Commission is the new skills development programme for new drivers from this year and for existing drivers from 2012.
The recent representation made by the Taxi Union Representative Bodies to my Department has outlined concerns within the industry regarding this provision as it applies to existing drivers. These representative Bodies will, I understand, be pursuing these concerns within the consultative and advisory framework provided for under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003.