Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress that has been made on extending the powers of An Garda Síochána to issue fixed charge penalties on taxis and to work with the National Transport Authority for greater on-street enforcement and on off-street enforcement as recommended in the report on the future of the taxi industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41277/12]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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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 2011. 

Among the proposals of the Taxi Regulation Review concerning enforcement, Action 24 deals with strengthened collaboration between An Garda Siochana and the NTA. Action 21 proposes a range of SPSV fixed charge penalties, which are currently administered by the NTA enforcement officers, will be extended to the Garda Síochána. 

Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act, 2010 provides for amendments to the fixed charge penalty system and is intrinsically linked to Part 5 of that Act which in turn provides for changes to the penalty points system. Both parts will be commenced simultaneously when the necessary administrative and technical issues have been addressed by the Garda Síochána and the Courts Service.