John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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309. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the necessary measures will be taken to ensure that the Garda vetting process commences when an applicant applies to the NTA to become a taxi driver and not several months later when the SPV tests have been passed by the applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29835/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.Also, under this Act, An Garda Síochána (AGS) is responsible for the granting of SPSV driver licences, which includes the administration of the associated Garda vetting process.

While decisions regarding the detail as to how these procedures are administered by the NTA and An Garda Síochána respectively are clearly not for me or for my Department, I am aware that my Department has had discussions with taxi industry representatives in relation to a number of matters, including the phasing as to when the Garda vetting process commences for SPSV applicants. Following that engagement, my Department has given a commitment, within the context of the Department's regular liaison with the NTA, to discuss this issue with the NTA as the Taxi Regulator.