Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I cannot accept this amendment.

The National Transport Authority, NTA, is funded from the Exchequer by way of an administration grant and from revenue received relating to fees generated from SPSV licensing activity. Under section 50(4) of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003, as amended by the Public Transport Regulation, PTR, Act 2009, income generated from fees that is surplus to the income necessary to meet the demands of taxi regulation is applied for the purpose of meeting the expenses properly incurred by the authority in the discharge of all its functions under the 2003 Act, the PTR Act 2009 and the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008.

Section 65 in the Bill will deal with the use of income from fees by the NTA. Section 65(3) of the Bill adequately deals with the matter of how the income is disposed of, that is, "in a manner to be determined by the Authority with the agreement of the Minster and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform." While it is a matter for the NTA in the first instance, I am not persuaded that there is a case for the type of grant scheme envisaged by the Deputy.

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