John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Transport the criteria which must be fulfilled by a person in order to secure a hackney licence; and if a person is already in full-time employment, if they are still entitled to hold a hackney licence. [19402/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The licensing and operation of small public service vehicles, including hackneys, is governed by the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002. Under these regulations, hackney licences may be granted by local licensing authorities in respect of a particular vehicle following the presentation of a vehicle test certificate and a certificate of suitability issued in respect of the vehicle by the national car testing service, NCTS; demonstration that the use of the vehicle as a hackney is covered by insurance; the production of a tax clearance certificate by the applicant and the payment of the appropriate licensing fee of €250. There is no stipulation on the employment status of the applicant.

Hackneys, as with all small public service vehicles, may only be driven by persons who hold a small public service vehicle driver's licence. Under the public service vehicles regulations, the consideration of applications for the grant of a small public service vehicle driver's licence is administered by the Garda Commissioner. Applicants are required to have a current driving licence, to produce a tax clearance certificate and to give an undertaking in writing that, if the licence is granted, they will not drive a public service vehicle for more than eleven hours in any one day in any period of three consecutive days. Applicants must also satisfy the Garda Commissioner that they are a fit and proper person to hold a licence to drive a small public service vehicle, that they have an adequate knowledge of general traffic regulations, the regulations relating to small public service vehicles and the area in which they propose to make services available as a driver of a small public service vehicle. Again, there is no stipulation on the employment status of the applicant.