Robert Troy
Ceist:219. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his Department's review of cross-border SPSV operations. [48602/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 16 November 2017
Ceisteanna (219)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, in order to carry persons for hire and reward, the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 requires the holding of a small public service vehicle (SPSV) licence and a SPSV driver licence. These requirements only apply to services if and when they are provided in the State. The 2013 Act does not provide for such services to be delivered on a cross border basis. The legislative position is similar in Northern Ireland.
As a result, under current legislation, if a SPSV operator wishes to operate cross-border taxi services, they would have to apply for and obtain licences in both the North and the South.
Accordingly, and to ensure that cross border taxi services can be legally facilitated and appropriately regulated, it has been decided that primary legislation will be needed in both jurisdictions, on a reciprocal basis, to provide for the exempting of particular requirements on licenced taxi operators in respect of certain cross-border services, subject to specified conditions. This approach was agreed, last year, between myself and the Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland at that time, Chris Hazzard.
My Department is committed to developing the necessary legislative changes, which will require Government approval in due course. However, any changes to the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 can only be progressed and ultimately enacted, in parallel with reciprocal legislative changes being introduced by the Northern Executive.