Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister just said that there is no intention to consider changing the ten-year rule now or at any stage in the future, which is a very big statement to make. It is as firm a "No" as one might ever get but I think there is a real case for reviewing it at this point in time. We have had two years with a lot of cars laid up. Cars are maintained to a very high standard. This is not 2011, it is 2022. In the context of trying to manage a transition across the whole of the taxi industry towards electrification, we are not going to do that in the next couple of years and there is a real possibility that if taxi drivers are forced to renew really good vehicles next year or the year after, they will not be in a position to go for an electric vehicle and will go for petrol or diesel. However, if the Department phased it out on a more gradual basis, we might achieve the transition more quickly. Has the Minister considered that or will he look at it as an option?

See this speech in context