Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I know that the NTA is the responsible agency, but it could be encouraged by her and her two ministerial colleagues to do a bit more. If someone in Piltown in south Kilkenny wants to become a hackney driver, much of the person's business might be in south Tipperary or Waterford, but he or she will not be asked about those areas in a knowledge test. Rather, the questions will be on places in Castlecomer and near the Laois border. Similarly, if the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, was from the town of Claremorris and wanted to take the hackney knowledge test, he would be expected to know on which street in Belmullet the funeral home was or on which street in Cong the post office was.

I have seen the tests that some people from my own county have been asked to take. On what street in Doon is the AIB is one of the questions. It is not there anymore because it has closed. If one is from Abbeyfeale in County Limerick, one is more likely to need to know places in Listowel, Knocknagoshel and Duagh in County Kerry, but one will never be asked about them. Instead, one will be asked about places 50 or 60 miles away. This is so because the test as currently constructed is designed to keep people out. This is why a new rural hackney licence needed to be introduced, but it does not address the key problem.

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