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Taxi Regulations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2012

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Ceisteanna (602, 603, 604, 605)

Patrick Nulty

Ceist:

699 Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he intends introducing new regulations this year that will prevent taxi drivers from selling on their taxi plates; if he will consider a scheme suggested by taxi drivers that the State buy back plates from drivers who want to retire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25441/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brendan Ryan

Ceist:

701 Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the nine year rule as its applies to drivers of taxis and hackneys; the reason same applies to licences issued after 1 January 2009; the further reason this date was chosen; the way same happened that the date initially chosen as an interim as past of a phased introduction of the rule throughout the industry has not been fixed as a permanent cut of point with the rule revoked on licences issued before this date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25472/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brendan Ryan

Ceist:

702 Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current application of the nine year rule for drivers of taxis and hackneys has resulted in a situation whereby some drivers are required to replace their cars while others, with cars even older, are not so required due to their licences were issued before 1 January 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25473/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brendan Ryan

Ceist:

704 Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the national car test was deemed insufficient for assessing the road worthiness of taxis and hackneys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25475/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 699, 701, 702 and 704 together.

The regulation of vehicle standards and of vehicle licensing, including the transferability of vehicle licences, are matters that were considered as part of the Taxi Regulation Review in 2011, which I chaired.

Action 10 of the Taxi Review Report sets out the proposal of the Review Group with regard to the age limit of vehicles. The proposed measure envisages the introduction of 6-monthly NCT testing of vehicles between 9 and 14 years old that have been part of the taxi fleet prior to the 1st of January 2009. It is intended that over time vehicles over 9 years will exit from the fleet. It is hoped that this proposed measure will be introduced from the 1st of January 2013 in tandem with a range of other measures that are being developed following the consultation and review of vehicle standards by the National Transport Authority (NTA) last year.

With regard to the transferability of vehicle licences, Action 14 of the Review Report recommends a prohibition on the transferability of taxi vehicle licences such that all taxi vehicle licences will be unique to the person to whom the licence has been issued and cannot be transferred or sold to another person. It is not intended to introduce a scheme to enable the Governmentt buy back plates from drivers who want to retire.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is the lead agency with responsibility for the implementation of the recommended actions contained in the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011 and makes reports quarterly on implementation to the Taxi Advisory Committee.

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