Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1571. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the high level of insurance will be examined for taxi drivers who have an SPSV driving licence in order to drive a wheelchair-accessible taxi as due to the high cost of insurance there is no incentive for new wheelchair-accessible taxi drivers to take up the WAV grant scheme; and the steps the Government is taking to address this issue. [41874/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​I am acutely aware that the rising costs of motor insurance for drivers generally are also affecting the taxi industry. There are reports of large increases for existing policy holders and difficulties in obtaining insurance for new operators. The implications of the current insurance difficulties faced by those in the taxi sector are of concern to me and the Government.

The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD and Minister of State for Financial Services, Eoghan Murphy TD published the Cost of Insurance Working Group's Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance on 10 January 2017.

The difficulties of taxi and hackney operators in obtaining insurance were highlighted to the Working Group by my Department and the National Transport Authority (NTA). I am advised that the NTA has also had a bi-lateral meeting with the Department of Finance to apprise them of the situation pertaining to small public service vehicle (SPSV) licence holders in relation to both the availability and cost of SPSV insurance.

My Department, together with the appropriate Agencies, will work towards implementing the relevant Recommendations in the Report.

In the meantime, I would also like to advise the Deputy that a total of €1.99m was provided under the  Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant Scheme 2016. This funding helped to achieve an overall increase of 24% in the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in the fleet during the year.