Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The regulation of the small public service vehicle sector is a matter for the National Transport Authority, NTA, pursuant to the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. This includes responsibility for signage. As such I have no function in this matter. I can however set out some background and some information in relation to the operation of the scheme which has been provided to me by the NTA. The requirement for taxi branding arises from the relevant recommendation of the taxi regulation review report published by this Government in January 2012.

The taxi regulation review group which prepared this report included representatives of the taxi industry as well as representatives of the hospitality industry, consumer interests and disability groups. Action 31 of that report sets out the recommendation to "introduce distinctive branding of taxis (and wheelchair accessible taxis)". It further sets out that this "would take the form of semi-permanent decals applied to the vehicle body, potentially to the doors on either side of the vehicle."

The report identified issues with the current reliance on the roof sign as the primary means of taxi identification and stated that "given the varied fleet, a degree of uniform branding would serve to better identify the licensed vehicle to the consumer, while ensuring that the professional operator make the same level of investment and commitment to the industry."

Branding is an issue which was given extensive consideration before its adoption by the review group and subsequent endorsement by Government. A prescribed livery, often including prescribed vehicle types or permanent roof signage, is a common feature of taxis internationally. Regulations were introduced by the National Transport Authority which required that, from 1 January 2013, taxis must have the prescribed vinyl self-adhesive external branding affixed to the front doors of the vehicles. The current statutory instrument containing this requirement is SI33 of 2015, the Taxi Regulation (Small Public Service Vehicle) Regulations 2015.

While I do recognise that taxis are privately owned, they are being licensed to provide a public service and a condition of operating as a public service taxi vehicle is that the vehicle is branded in accordance with legislation now in place. There have been a very small number of complaints that the imposition of a branding requirement renders a vehicle identifiable as a taxi at all times. It is acknowledged, by me and the NTA, that the imposition of a decal on the side of the vehicle does render it more visible as a taxi. However, it is still the case that, even with the roof sign removed, the vehicle is always identifiable as a taxi through the prescribed tamper-proof discs that are affixed to the front and rear windscreens at licensing stage.

One of the additional benefits of the new taxi signage is that it is more difficult for vehicles to operate illegally as taxis. As the door signage is semi-permanent, the vehicle is still identifiable as a purported taxi even when the roof sign is removed, which was not the case previously.

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