Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I know what the Deputy is referring to and, in a spirit of co-operation, shall respond. The proposed amendments seek to ensure section 11 would specifically refer to persons holding or applying for a taxi licence who are also in other full-time employment, thereby leading to a constraint for full-time employees in other occupations from operating in the taxi industry. I understand where the Deputy is coming from and appreciate his concerns. I sympathise with full-time taxi drivers in the industry who operate in compliance with the regulations and find themselves in an increasingly competitive working environment and working longer hours with less potential to attract fares than in stronger economic times. However, as I have explained regarding the proposed restatement of section 11, there are very narrow parameters within which the obligation to inform the authority of other occupations can be applied.

I have really gone as far as I can, legally, in this respect. It is something we needed to work on as we had to ensure the issue was completely defined, with less potential of legal risk concerning a person's constitutional rights. It is therefore not appropriate for me to introduce amendments Nos. 17 to 19, inclusive, as the Deputy requires.

Sometimes we talk about the taxi industry and automatically think of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway etc. The amendments proposed by the Deputy are well-meaning but they would have a dramatic impact on rural Ireland, where being a taxi driver is a part-time occupation. I understand the spirit of the amendments but I cannot accept them. Through the qualitative changes being effected by taxi regulations through the National Transport Authority and this legislation, I expect the conditions in the industry to improve. My intention is to support the full-time taxi drivers to whom the Deputy refers.