Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Section 9 of the Bill provides for the licensing authority, subject to its assessment of suitability under section 10, to grant or not to grant an application for a licence. Section 9(10) provides that when granting a licence, the licensing authority may attach such terms and conditions to it as it sees fit. This seems to be an integral part of the functioning of a licensing authority. This reflects the similar provision under section 34(1)(e)(i) of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 allowing the NTA to regulate on matters relating to licences, including terms or conditions relating to the granting of a licence. Among such terms and conditions attached to a licence are the areas of operation of a SPSV driver. This amendment may arise from the unfounded concerns of Senator Barrett, to which I have referred on numerous occasions, that there is an attempt to control the number of licences in any area of the country. There is no such attempt, and therefore I cannot accept the amendment.