Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As I said earlier, this is nothing we have not heard before from the Minister. The only thing that is different, which I have in front of me from the Minister and the NTA, is there were only 54 prosecutions last year. In his reply, the Minister of State said that this figure has gone up to 65 fixed penalty payment notices and 146 prosecutions. I do not know who is doing the maths in the Department of Transport but 146 is a long way away from 54.

The same thing is being done year after year but it has not worked. Taxi drivers will tell you that. Thousands of jobs are at risk because of the inaction of the Minister. He can reply that he is not involved in day-to-day operations. Maybe it is time he got involved in them and started trying to get those who are doing this prosecuted and save the jobs of the thousands of people we are talking about. It is fine saying that An Garda Síochána has handheld cameras but it and the NTA will say that the funding is not there for them to implement that kind of system. I ask the Minister of State to take back to the Minister the message that he needs to get more involved and engage more with the sector, An Garda Síochána and the NTA.

We have been informed that some of the larger hotel groups are using unauthorised taxis for airport runs. Perhaps this is something the Minister can get involved in. I urge the Minister of State to take back to the Minister the message that unless he adopts a hands-on approach, I and others will be back in this House talking about the same thing over and over again.

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