Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This amendment is unnecessary. Section 56 requires that at least two members of the taxi advisory committee shall be from organisations which, in the opinion of the Minister, represent the interests of consumers. The Consumers' Association of Ireland, the National Disability Authority and the Competition Authority are all represented on the committee.

The Senator has referred to the committee, which I will chair, saying it did not do its job. I resent that as an unfair statement. It is unfair to the representative of the Consumers' Association of Ireland who is on the committee and who has worked for many years for the organisation. The Competition Authority has also been represented and that member made some very valuable points.

Consumer interests in this area cross a wide spectrum of issues, many of which have not got to the floor of this House in the last number of sessions. I assure the Senator that through this legislation and the regulations coming from the National Transport Authority, there has never been as big a focus on the consumer as there is with the work that started with the committee and which is continuing through regulations and this legislation.