Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 885: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will respond to recent reports that it is his intention to limit taxi working hours to a 48 hour working week; and further will he clarify if it is his intention to bring about morning, mid afternoon and night shifts, with 5,000 taxis operating on each shift. [33629/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, regulation of the taxi industry was devolved by the Oireachtas to the Commission for Taxi Regulation under the Taxi Regulation Act 2003.

I am advised that the Working Time Directive and the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 which transposed it into domestic law have no application to self-employed persons. Therefore, the restriction on working hours contained in this legislation does not apply to the vast majority of taxi drivers.

Under Road Traffic (Public Services Vehicles) Regulations, 1963, as amended most recently by 1998 Regulations (S.I. No. 295 of 1998), applicants for a small public service vehicle licence must give an undertaking in writing that, if the licence is granted, the applicant shall not drive a public service vehicle for more than eleven hours in any one day in any period of three consecutive days.