Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Transport if taxi licences will be issued to existing hackney licence holders in a location (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36090/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The operation and licensing of small public service vehicles, including taxis and hackneys, and their drivers, is currently controlled through the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002. Since 26 September 2005, responsibility for the regulation of small public service vehicles now rests with the Commission for Taxi Regulation under the Taxi Regulation Act 2003. Taxi licences are currently granted by individual local licensing authorities in respect of designated taximeter areas only. The location mentioned in the question is not currently a taximeter area. The Commission for Taxi Regulation is responsible for the declaration, extension and alteration of taximeter areas, following a statutory consultation process. In this regard, the commission has indicated that it intends to put in place new taximeter areas on a phased basis in 2006, has recently published a consultation document Taximeter Areas and Taxi Fares and has invited submissions on the matter by 19 December 2005. Any decision regarding the declaration of a taximeter area at the location mentioned in County Galway is a matter for consideration and decision by the Commission for Taxi Regulation.