Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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629. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider an amendment to the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 to facilitate licensed taxi drivers of small public service vehicles who, upon reaching the age of 66, wish to sell or transfer the ownership of their taxi plates to a third party, as the current provisions of the Act are preventing this and retirees are losing out on any return from their initial investment in a taxi plate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44728/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Action 14 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011 recommended the introduction of a prohibition on the transferability of small public service vehicle (SPSV) licences with effect from 1st October 2012. The Taxi Regulation Review Group included representatives of the taxi industry and its recommendations were widely publicised to the industry, including through the National Transport Authority's website and industry updates.

The underlying principle for the recommendation was that a licence should determine a person's suitability to carry out a function and it should have no monetary value or be traded on the open market. The measure was provided for in Section 14(1) of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 which was commenced with effect from 6th April 2014. Special provisions apply in the case of the death of the licensee.

I do not intend bringing forward amendments to the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 in relation to this matter.