Results 5,661-5,680 of 26,843 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I move amendment No. 1:In page 10, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following:"(a) the requirement that vehicle registration, licence and insurance be held in one name;".One of the major concerns with regard to this legislation is one of which the Minister of State is well aware, namely, the need to ensure that all taxi drivers are properly licensed and insured. The various...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Minister of State for his response. What would give the taxi drivers a greater degree of comfort and assurance is if the Minister of State can spell out how there will be proper enforcement. I take the point that the Minister of State is providing for this in secondary legislation and that the regulation is in place. However, the taxi drivers feel there is a long history of...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I move amendment No. 3:In page 15, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: “(c) where their other occupation is deemed to be full-time, will not be granted a licence to drive SPSV.”.I move this amendment on behalf of Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan. I note the Minister of State's Bill requires that those requesting a licence must give notice if they have other employment....

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: This is tricky. I accept that the Bill is a significant advance on what was an anarchic scenario, which was unfair to full-time taxi drivers and which the Government inherited. It was more than legal problems that led a previous Government to deregulation. An ideological bent was pursued, particularly by the Progressive Democrats Party, which Fianna Fáil went along with, where they...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Taxi drivers need to know that regulation will not only deal with the issues of proper licensing, registration, passenger safety, fly by nights and so on but deal specifically with the issue of double jobbing. Something has to be done about that because it is seriously unfair. I hope the Minister of State takes the issue on board and that he will work with industry representatives to come...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I move amendment No. 4:In page 16, lines 17 and 18, to delete “(whether or not the licence holder has been convicted of an offence in relation to the contravention)”.The amendments relate to the potential unintended consequence of some aspects of regulation, which taxi drivers generally welcome. They want regulation and all the issues we have already discussed but they do not...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The argument they have asked me to put is that the system through which one could lose one’s licence or have it suspended for a three-month period following the accumulation of eight demerits is potentially problematic for legitimate full-time taxi drivers. For example, the lack of rank space, of which the Minister of State is well aware, means that sometimes taxis have to queue up at...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I accept that I cannot press amendment No. 5 because there are circumstances where suspension is legitimate, justified and necessary. Taxi drivers share that view. What legitimate full-time taxi drivers are worried about is finding themselves suspended and having difficulty getting back their licence. They submitted some questions to the NTA on the issue but the answer was not clearly...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We are all generally singing from the same hymn sheet on these matters and want to do the right thing. Drivers have told me that even legitimate drivers who are trying to play the game by the rules and want a proper, professional regulated industry believe it could be quite easy to reach eight demerits. The Minister of State made a point on ranks that was reasonable. Drivers have asked...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I move amendment No. 6:In page 22, line 29, after “disabilities” to insert the following:“by facilitating small public service vehicle licence holders affordable and sustainable opportunities to adapt and maintain their vehicles in order to fully cater to people with disabilities using their services”.I will be pressing this amendment.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister of State is doing well, but there are many assurances that must follow on from it. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. We need to see whether words translate into action. That is what taxi drivers want to know. Let us hope they do translate. I fully accept that the legislation makes substantial progress, but I am questioning whether it will fully cover all bases. ...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will give the Minister the details later but this particular firm is operating in north Dublin. I have some documents in front of me and I will cover up the logo before showing them to Members of the House. Essentially, these documents are price lists which directly compare the cost of their service per kilometre to the cost of a taxi. Taxi drivers have phoned this supposed charity for...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister of State is doing well.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I welcome his commitments to take action in this area. However, given what he has just said, I cannot see any difficulty with his accepting this amendment. The provision rightly states “to promote access to and the availability and affordability of small public service vehicles by persons with disabilities”. Amendment No. 6 proposes to insert an explicit reference to the need...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I do not see the problem the Minister has with accepting this amendment. It is not too prescriptive.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, I accept that.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I accept that, but this amendment has a legitimate point about supporting drivers who want to provide an accessible service. This is a reasonable amendment that does not run counter to what the Minister has said.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I sympathise with the thrust of the amendment. As I indicated, the reason I did not press the issue of full-time taxi drivers is there is a legitimate point on rural areas where the scenario is different and the Minister of State accepts this point. In this context, I wish to raise another issue which points a little in the other direction. It does not counter what Deputy Denis Naughten...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 51. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has contacted the Russian Government and if not, if he will give a commitment to contact the Russian Government regarding the appalling conditions faced by Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of the Russian punk group Pussy Riot who has gone on hunger strike at what she calls gulag like prison conditions; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (2 Oct 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 58. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the plight of the five fishermen (details supplied) who have been sentenced to one year imprisonment by an Egyptian court for fishing in Egyptian waters in a desperate attempt to feed their families; if he will raise the issue with his Egyptian counterpart and urge for their immediate release; and if he will...