Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Section 6 is required to define a licensing authority for the purpose of the Bill. The section reflects the current situation, whereby the Garda has responsibility for small public service vehicle, SPSV, driver licensing. This section also allows for a future scenario whereby it is envisaged that the administration of the SPSV driver licensing functions will be transferred to the NTA in line with action No. 5 of the taxi regulatory review report of 2011, which I am sure that all of the Senators have read.

It is envisaged that the important vetting function will stay with the Garda. I take Senator O'Neill's comments concerning recent Seanad debates on board. I will set the scene. For months on end, I chaired a review committee, membership of which included the Garda. The Garda was a component of the decision making process as regards the transfer of functions. There is no issue concerning what the Garda has done historically, nor are we claiming such.

We are looking to the future to see where future resources can be best targeted as regards the administration process, which we believe is with the NTA, and enforcement in which the Garda will have a major part to play. There will be many qualitative enforcement measures which will support enforcement, and the Garda will have a huge role to play in that. That is the merit for the change being introduced in the legislation. I cannot accept the Senator's apparent view that the NTA should not have regulatory powers. The NTA is central to implementing the regulatory requirements and achieving the right balance between consumer interests and the interests of the industry.

I might add that, from an enforcement point of view, in conjunction with this legislation, I, as the Minister responsible, am working with the NTA and intend to bring in a large number of qualitative measures and improvements in on the street enforcement levels which I accept must be addressed.