Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

These amendments arise on foot of a review by the advisory council. The licensing requirements relating to ownership, possession or rental of a vehicle or rental of equipment associated with the vehicle is considered to be a matter that is appropriate for further elaboration by way of regulations made by the NTA. Amendment No. 8 allows for these matters concerning ownership, possession and rental of a vehicle or equipment to be included within the scope of the licensing regulations made by the NTA under section 7.

Amendment No. 10, introducing a new paragraph under section 7(2) dealing with prohibitions, restrictions and conditions relating to the renting or leasing of a small public service vehicle or equipment is particularly important in light of the recommendations of the taxi regulation review 2011 concerning the need for better regulation of the SPSV rental market and the implementation of full package rentals of SPSVs.

Amendment No. 14 is a drafting amendment to the relevant offence under section 7(6) bringing it into line with the wording of the new paragraph (n) in section 7(2) to include prohibition, restriction or condition.

Similarly, amendment No. 34 allows the NTA to make SPSV regulations concerning the rent or lease of an SPSV or related equipment in line with the amendments to the licensing regulations under section 7 concerning rental and leasing of SPSVs.

The related offence for contravention of these SPSV regulations is dealt with under subsection 19(4).