Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and I thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, for indulging me in permitting me to mention the two particular cases, with one of which I am especially familiar. I did so merely to illustrate the point and the human cost of this overly bureaucratic system and its impact on people on a regular basis. I tend not to mention individual cases in this House and I understand the restrictions that ought to apply, but I took the view it was important to illustrate the point that I was trying to make, that is to say, that there was a human cost to this.

I have looked at the form on the website. It appears tenth on a list of obscure forms on the website. It seems to me that the existence of this form is not widely understood in the taxi sector. I have spoken to many smart people who work in the taxi sector in recent days to assess their level of knowledge. The level of knowledge is extremely poor. In cases like this families are put in difficult situations. There appears to be no flexibility whatsoever and no humane and compassionate understanding of the circumstances in which people find themselves when someone dies suddenly.

Every year, taxi drivers are required to renew the licence. It would be worthwhile if the regulator would consider informing individuals on an annual basis of their obligation to sign these forms if they wish to reassign their licences for consideration to family members in the event of their passing.

I appeal to the Minister to take a personal interest in this matter and to work with the regulator of taxis to try to have this resolved. I am committed to doing that. I believe we need a far more humane and compassionate system to try to work with women like Marie Keegan and Mrs. Lee, who lost her husband recently, to address these real and human problems. I appeal to the Minister to commit to doing that.