Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
211. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of safety concerns of taxi drivers at night; for an update on his latest engagements with taxi driver groups on this topic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14317/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including SPSVs licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector.
The NTA conducted taxi driver research nationally in September/October 2022. The survey shows that of those who state they don’t currently work nights (12pm - 05:59), just over four in five have ever worked nights. Of those who have stopped working nights, 48% cite the reason being personal safety and 40% cite customer behaviour and/or extra cleaning costs.
Almost one in three state nothing would encourage them to work nights. In order to be incentivised to work nights, 19% of drivers wanted better safety measures to be in place, and a further 8% wanted the opportunity to earn more money. The National Maximum Taxi Fare which increased from 1 September 2022, and coincided with the survey, included an average fare increase of 12%, with more weighting towards premium times (20:00 – 08:00) to encourage more operators to work at peak time to meet demand.
The NTA carried out a similar survey recently, and those results will be published in the coming months.
The Advisory Committee on SPSVs is the central focus of engagement with the SPSV sector in relation to issues affecting the sector. Drivers are an important part of the Committee’s membership, and at least four positions on the Committee, which are reserved for members who can represent driver interests, are filled by licensed SPSV drivers from across the country. I am satisfied that this ensures the Committee’s advice is informed by the perspective of drivers. I met the Committee in February 2023 and I plan to meet again in the coming months.
Section 73(5) of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 provides that the Minister may consult with, or seek the advice of, the Advisory Committee on Small Public Service Vehicles on any matter arising in relation to their functions with respect to small public service vehicles and their drives. I have recently written to the Advisory Committee to request its consideration of how taxi availability can be assessed, and to make recommendations on how relevant data can be collected.
