Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1070. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans and rationale for the new rural hackney scheme that he has proposed. [27170/13]

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1071. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason he has not responded to a request from the Taxi Alliance for a meeting to discuss the proposed rural hackney system. [27171/13]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1070 and 1071 together. 

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011. Action 46 of the Review Report proposes the introduction of a "local area hackney licence" for rural locations having a low level or, in some cases, no level of SPSV transport services.  The NTA has developed a proposal to facilitate the low cost entry to the hackney market for transport provision in these rural areas and the proposal has been submitted to the Taxi Advisory Committee for its consideration.

As I have stated on previous occasions, the most appropriate channel for the concerns of the representative groups in the SPSV sector to be addressed is the Taxi Advisory Committee.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1072. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are any special circumstances in which persons applying for SPSV licences will be awarded the licence having achieved a lower score on tests than is required of other applicants. [27183/13]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the taxi industry under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009, including the development and administration of the area knowledge and skills development test.

Your question has been forwarded to the NTA for direct reply. If you do not receive a response within ten working days please notify my private Office.