Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress has been made to date with the proposals to introduce a new taxi/hackney licence which would benefit rural areas and might be of particular assistance to rural publicans operating a collection and delivery service for their customers.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21097/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the taxi industry under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003 and is also the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report.

The objective of the Local Area Hackney Licence is to facilitate a low cost entry to the hackney market for transport provision in rural areas that, otherwise, would be unlikely to have such services. The Licence is proposed as a medium-term action, one which requires development this year with a view to its implementation subsequent to 2012.

The NTA has commenced the scoping work required for developing the proposal.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the law enforcement of PSV taxi licences, in view of the fact that only enforcement officers are permitted to check for PSV licences and there are only nine such officers here; if he intends to make provisions in order that members of An Garda Síochána can check PSV licences of if he intends to increase the number of enforcement officers. [21118/12]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to deal with the situation regarding taxi drivers coming into towns and cities in which they are not registered and taking the already scarce work from taxi drivers who are registered for that area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21119/12]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider making it a legal requirement that taxi drivers have to produce a PSV licence before they can obtain a taxi plate from a rental company. [21120/12]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 to 233, inclusive, together.

The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues related to taxi rental and the areas of operation of taxis, is a matter in the first instance for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. I have arranged for your question to be forwarded to the NTA for a direct response. If he does not receive a response within ten working days, he should notify my private office.

Concerning the enforcement of SPSV regulations generally, Action 24 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011 deals with strengthened collaboration between An Garda Síochána and the NTA and, among other things, envisages the introduction of Fixed Charge Penalties to improve enforcement. Action 21 states that a range of SPSV fixed charge penalties, which are currently administered by the NTA enforcement officers, will be extended to the Garda Síochána.