Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I move amendment No. 27:

In page 33, line 31, after "drivers", to insert the following:

"and may, if the level of consumer demand so justifies it, make regulations limiting entry to the taxi market by reference to a particular number of new licences to be granted in any particular year, if it is satisfied that such a limit would not have any material adverse impact on the service to consumers".

This amendment seeks to give the commissioner for taxi regulation, in a qualified way, the power to limit the number of taxi licences. The taxi regulator does not have such powers at present. The following statement is on the website of the Commission for Taxi Regulation, www.taxireg.ie:

The Commission for Taxi Regulation can confirm that it has received advice from the Advisory Council on a number of proposed further reforms for the industry, following the conclusion of a public consultation process on the recommendations of the Goodbody Economic Review.

The Commission will reflect on the advice received and following the conclusion of legal considerations, regulatory impact assessments and administrative arrangements will publish details of new reforms and a timeline for the introduction of reforms later this year. The reforms will cover a number of areas including vehicle and driver licensing, and enforcement.

Information received from the policy section of the Commission for Taxi Regulation is that the advisory council is still considering the review. It is meeting next week and it is expected that it will issue its final recommendations to the regulator at that point. The regulator will then consider the advice and make a decision. What if the advice is to limit the number of taxi licences for a short period? The Commission for Taxi Regulation does not have such powers at present and, if one felt it advisable that the Commission for Taxi Regulation should have such powers, it would require further legislation to do so whereas we could grant those powers today if the Minister of State accepts this amendment. Providing such powers to the regulator is not a stipulation or a recommendation that they be used. The Commission for Taxi Regulation may never wish to use the powers so bestowed. There is a problem with oversupply of taxis in certain areas, particularly at peak times. Some taxi licences are being used at peak times by people who also hold down full-time jobs elsewhere. In any debate on the taxi industry there is always a reference to the bad old times when one could not get a taxi for love nor money. Those days are long gone and they should not be used as a reason for doing nothing now to address the problems that exist. I asked the Minister of State to accept our reasonable amendment.