Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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209. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to change the regulation of car sharing enterprises that would permit drivers without taxi licences to operate within the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36459/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​​​​The regulatory framework governing the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector is the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 and Regulations made under the Act by the National Transport Authority as regulator for the sector.

Under that regulatory framework the core requirement, with a small number of limited exemptions, is that the carriage of passengers for reward in a public place in any mechanically propelled vehicle with nine or less seats (including the driver's seat) is permitted only in a licensed vehicle driven by a licensed driver.

The underlying policy which governs this is a concern for passenger safety and a concern for passenger protection in relation to pricing. The rationale for taxi regulation is to ensure that passengers have a safe vehicle for their journey, with appropriate insurance in place, driven by a driver who has been vetted by An Garda Síochána and, in the case of taxis, with a pre-established and verified charging system.

At present ridesharing services would not comply with the primary legislation governing small public service vehicles.