Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will certainly bring the Deputy's thoughts and comments back to the Minister. I will touch on the issue of transitioning the fleet. The Department of Transport remains committed to supporting the transition of the SPSV fleet towards zero and low-emission vehicles. It has made funding available to the NTA to provide grants for the provision and conversion of vehicles to make them wheelchair accessible, which is a requirement for new entrants, and a grant is also provided to convert the SPSV fleet to lower-emission and zero-emission vehicles. The number of such grants administered has been encouraging with 780 issued between the beginning of the scheme in 2018 and 2021, notwithstanding the Covid pandemic, with associated funding of €13.7 million provided. A further €15 million in funding was provided in budget 2022. The Minister has said that he is satisfied that the measures taken to date to assist the taxi industry as it emerges from the pandemic should encourage new entrants to the industry - and we are hopeful they will - while also encouraging a significant proportion of inactive licenceholders to return to the industry both nationally and in Dublin city now that the demand for services is again increasing.

In addition to supporting the SPSV industry, the NTA is committed to providing additional bus services that operate on a 24-7 basis as part of the BusConnects programme in our cities. Routes C5 and C6 to Lucan, Maynooth and Celbridge began operating on a 24-hour basis in November 2021, bringing the number of such routes in Dublin city to five. Another one is operating in Cork. A further three will be provided in Dublin this year, one of which, the N4 between Blanchardstown and the Point, commenced operation on 29 May. As funding allows, more will be added each year as the new BusConnects Dublin network is rolled out. Additionally, the Nitelink bus services continue to operate in Dublin over the weekend. In saying that, I take on board everything the Deputy has said. We all have young adult children - well, I certainly do - and we hope that, if they need a taxi at night, they will be in a position to avail of one.

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