Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 March 2014
245. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the procedures for the inheritance of taxi licences and when these procedures will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12308/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. Section 15 of the Taxi Regulation Act, 2013 provides for an applicant or holder of a SPSV licence to nominate a representative who may apply to the NTA as the licensing authority, to continue to operate the licence in the event of his or her death. The nominated representative can, within 3 months of the death of the licence holder, make an application to the NTA to continue to operate the licence until expiry and to apply for its renewal upon its expiry.
The Taxi Regulation Act 2013 was signed into law on 23 October 2013. While the majority of the provisions in the Act have yet to be commenced, the NTA has prepared draft regulations that will introduce new measures provided for under the Act, as well as consolidate and replace the existing SPSV regulations. Section 18 of the draft regulations, which were the subject of a public consultation process that concluded on 31 January 2014, sets out the proposed procedure in terms of documentation and other requirements in relation to an application by a nominated representative to continue to operate a SPSV licence. It is expected that the new regulations will be introduced in tandem with the commencement of the remaining sections of the Act in April 2014.
