Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The regulation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, industry is a matter for the NTA under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. I have referred the Deputy's question to it for direct reply.

Provision is made in the NTA's regulations for the grant of rural hackney licences. The Minister has no role in the matter. For the local area hackney licence, there is no requirement to undertake the industry knowledge or area knowledge test that is normally required for SPSV licences. There is no intention to alter this situation. Action No. 46 of the taxi regulation review report recommended the introduction of a local area hackney licence to address transport deficits in rural areas. Regulations providing for the introduction of such licences were made by the NTA with effect from December 2013. An Garda Síochána is the licensing authority for local area hackney driver licences and the NTA is the licensing authority for local area hackney vehicle licences.

The local area hackney licence is designed to facilitate low-cost entry into the hackney market for transport provision in rural areas. The NTA can only issue these licences where it is satisfied that there is a demand for a hackney service in the area in respect of which the licence is sought and the public transport needs of the area are not currently being adequately met. It is a local response to a local demand and is not designed to displace existing services. As the Deputy understands, parts of rural Ireland are not serviced by public transport. The local area hackney licence forms part of a suite of measures that were introduced to alleviate this difficulty. For example, if people have medical appointments, they can call a hackney licensed under this system.

See this speech in context