Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Transport the reasons for the delay in commencing Section 36 (1) of the 2003 Taxi Regulation Act. [21965/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Section 36 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003, as amended by section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 2004, provides for a system of automatic mandatory disqualification from applying for or holding a small public service vehicle driver or vehicle licence in respect of persons who have been convicted of certain specified offences. These include the offences of murder, manslaughter and various sexual, drug trafficking and other offences.

As a first step in giving full effect to the provisions of section 36 as amended, I have recently made an order commencing subsections 2(A), 3, 3(A) and 4 of the section. This has been done in consultation with the Commission for Taxi Regulation, An Garda Siochana, the Courts Service, my Department and the Office of the Attorney General.

The measures in these subsections give existing licence holders or licence applicants who have been convicted of specified offences an appropriate period to apply to the Courts to be allowed to apply for a licence under such terms and conditions as the court may direct. I would urge any person in this category to regularise their position. I expect to make later in the year the necessary order to commence the provisions of the section in full.