Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 10, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following:"(a) the requirement that vehicle registration, licence and insurance be held in one name;".

One of the major concerns with regard to this legislation is one of which the Minister of State is well aware, namely, the need to ensure that all taxi drivers are properly licensed and insured. The various organisations representing the industry have repeatedly called for action to deal with the problem of rogue drivers. It is generally accepted that there is a massive oversupply of taxis as a result of the completely uncontrolled deregulation of the industry overseen by a previous Government. It has led to an extremely difficult, if not disastrous, situation for taxi drivers. The very least they require is legal support for a regime which ensures that all drivers are properly qualified and licensed.

The Minister of State indicated to me before the debate that he accepts the thrust of this amendment and assured me there is now a regulation in place to achieve the same end. The taxi drivers to whom I have spoken, however, have asked me to put it to him that this requirement should be set out clearly in the legislation for the avoidance of any ambiguity. Their strong preference for explicit legislative provision arises from the failure, certainly from their perspective, of regulation in the past. Even where regulations have been in place, the strong view among people in the industry is that they have not been enforced. A specific provision in the Bill, as set out in amendment No. 1, would offer an important assurance to legitimate drivers.

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