Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider introducing legislation that will prevent taxi firms offering discounts to customers, sometimes as much as 40%, without the prior consent of the taxi drivers affected by the discount. [14443/12]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider introducing enforceable guidelines or legislation, if required, that prevents taxi drivers from being forced by taxi firms to bear the cost of uniforms and phone calls to customers. [14444/12]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 208: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider introducing enforceable guidelines or legislation, if required, that will regulate the power of taxi firms to disable taxi drivers off the air if the taxi drivers hand their job back. [14445/12]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 to 208, inclusive, together.

The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including issues relating to the setting of the maximum fare for SPSV services and the regulation of dispatch operators, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act 2003.

I should add however that I do not envisage introducing legislation relating to the commercial arrangements that apply between dispatch operators and taxi drivers in areas such as price discounting below the maximum fare. However I will refer the Deputy's question to the NTA for any further information on the matters raised.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will explain the rationale whereby only taxi drivers whose licence numbers are above 45,000 must not have cars older than nine years. [14446/12]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle standards, is a matter for the NTA under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009.

I have arranged for your question to be sent to the NTA for direct reply. If you have not received a response within ten working days, please notify my private office.