Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

The Minister does not have the required knowledge of how the system works. Is it an offence to sell a licence on a particular number or not? Gardaí tell us it is not.

The Joint Committee on Transport has discussed this issue for the past nine months. We have listened to all interests and have consulted with consumers and passengers. We have taken advice from a senior counsel who says it would be possible to introduce legislation to suspend the allocation of licences for a period, using a legal device known as a sunset clause, to allow time to bring in a proper system of regulation.

The Minister and his Cabinet colleagues presided over lousy regulation of the financial system and planning. The country is suffering from a poor regulation regime. This is affecting the taxi business and the Minister is responsible.

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