Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some taxi drivers are refusing to carry customers with children on the basis that they do not have an appropriate child seat-belt or restraint; the circumstances in which taxi drivers must have such seat-belts or restraints; if this varies with the age of the child; the efforts which have been made to ensure that taxi drivers are fully aware of the exemptions that currently exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31677/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The European Communities (Compulsory Use of Safety Belts and Child Restraint Systems in Motors Vehicles) Regulations 2006, transposed into Irish law Directive 2003/20/EC relating to the compulsory wearing of safety belts and child restraint systems.

The Directive requires that, in general, children who are less than 150 centimetres in height and 36 kilograms in weight be restrained by an appropriate child restraint when travelling in cars (including taxis, hackneys and limousines) and goods vehicles. Member States had the option to allow children to travel without child restraints in the rear of small public service vehicles if restraints are not available and this option was exercised in the recent regulations. However, children who are 3 years of age or over and 135 centimetres or more in height travelling in the rear of small public service vehicles not fitted with child restraints are required to wear safety belts. There is no concession in relation to the requirement for child restraints for children travelling in the front seats of cars (including taxis, hackneys and limousines) and goods vehicles.

Notwithstanding the legal position, it would be my desire that owners of small public service vehicles would endeavour to provide child restraints in so far as it is practicable to do so. To that end, I have written to the Commissioner for Taxi Regulation requesting that he engage with the industry with a view to devising guidelines on best practice in relation to the carrying of children in small public service vehicles.

My Department wrote to the Irish Taxi Drivers' Federation, the National Taxi Drivers' Union and the National Private Hire and Taxi Association on 9 May 2006 informing them of the making of the 2006 regulations and enclosing copies of the regulations.