Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide further details on when the review of the taxi sector will be completed in November; if he will publish the review; and if he will commit to providing additional resources to ensure a better system of regulation for the taxi sector. [33477/11]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The review is examing all aspects of taxi regulation and will make specific recommendations on matters concerning licensing, enforcement, vehicle standards, supply issues in rural and urban areas and future dialogue with the taxi sector. The review will enable the necessary further reforms of the sector to allow consumers to have confidence in the taxi system while also ensuring that legitimate and competent operators and drivers can be rewarded by operating fairly under a regulatory framework that is adequately enforced.

Good progress is being made on the review and I envisage that the the review steering group, which I am chairing, will complete its work this month. Some of the priority areas under consideration in the review include new powers to suspend or revoke a licence, measures to ensure revenue and social welfare compliance and the use of technologies to further consumer protection and enforcement. In addition, the conclusions of the economic analysis of the taxi market being carried out by the consultants, Indecon, will also be considered by the review group.

Publication of the review will of course be subject to Government approval and I would expect to submit the review proposals for Cabinet consideration at an early date. Any additional resources that might be required to implement the review recommendations will also be considered then.