Emer Higgins
Ceist:199. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the steps he is taking to increase the number of taxis in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19525/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 25 April 2023
Ceisteanna (199, 202, 203)
Emer Higgins
Ceist:202. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered changes to the current licensing regime to tackle the shortage of taxi drivers in cities. [19528/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraEmer Higgins
Ceist:203. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if reducing the cost of taxi licences and reducing the cost of airport taxi permits has been considered to increase taxi supply. [19529/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 199, 202 and 203 together.
The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including SPSV licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV industry.
In the period to end March 2023, a total of 1,303 new SPSV driver licences were granted by An Garda Síochána, the licensing authority for SPSV drivers. This is a 58% increase when compared to the previous 12 months (April to March 2022) and 63.8% relate to new applications to drive in Dublin.
Also to end March, there was a total of 14,754 Dublin licensed SPSV drivers, and 25,456 nationwide. The number of licensed vehicles on that date was 19,229. SPSVs themselves are not restricted to a geographical area for operation. They can operate anywhere in the State, irrespective of the postal address of the owner/renter of the vehicle and SPSV licence.
Regarding licence renewals, from January to December 2019, 2,533 SPSV drivers renewed their licences. During the same period in 2022, there were 4,618 driver licence renewals which is up 82% on 2019, with 1,140 recorded in Q1 2023. This shows that drivers are returning to the industry.
As the Deputy may be aware, both the NTA and my Department have taken a number of steps to support taxi drivers nationally and to increase the number of taxis available to passengers, especially for people getting home at night:
The NTA approved an average increase of 12% on taxi fares from 1 September 2022. The increase is weighted in favour of premium hours, such as weekend nights, Sundays and bank holidays. It is designed to attract more people to the taxi industry and to encourage more taxi drivers to work during unsocial hours, such as late nights, therefore increasing availability of taxis to passengers nationally.
The NTA ran a Driver Recruitment Campaign on national radio and digital platforms in July 2022 to encourage interested parties into the industry. Analysis carried out by the NTA indicates that this campaign has been successful. From September 2022 to March 2023, on average, 131 new licences issued per month compared to 81 per month for February to August 2022.
Since August 2022, a series of global circumstances has, in the NTA’s view, considerably worsened the capability of taxi and hackney licence holders to secure new vehicles, with lead times of one year not uncommon already. Therefore, The NTA introduced new Regulations on 18 November last, permitting an extension to the final operation date of vehicles due to reach their final date of operation/maximum permissible age between 13 March 2020 and 31 December 2024. This is to ensure that no current vehicle licence holder is forced out of the industry because a replacement vehicle cannot be purchased.
The NTA also permanently extended to 24 months, the period that an SPSV licence may rest in inactive status after expiry (previously 12 months).
Whilst the NTA has statutory responsibility for regulating the SPSV industry, taxi drivers are self-employed individuals and, as such, decide on their own business strategies within the regulatory framework, including choosing the times at which they operate.
The SPSV Driver Entry Test fee is €90 and the SPSV Driver Licence application fee is €250 which, if granted, allows an applicant to operate for five years.
In relation to taxi permits at Dublin airport, the Dublin Airport Authority has statutory responsibility in this regard.