Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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195. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the ongoing efforts by the NTA to review the small public service vehicle industry; the planned actions arising from this review; and if there will be a public consultation period or other mechanism for public representatives to submit their views in relation to same. [49858/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013, the National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the development and operation of a regulatory framework for the licensing of, and the standards to be applied to, small public service vehicles and their drivers in addition to the provision of services involving small public service vehicles.

In line with that responsibility the NTA is undertaking a review of key aspects of taxi, hackney and limousine operations with the intention of developing a five year strategy for the small public service vehicle industry that will guide its regulatory development over that timeframe.

This review is considering, with the assistance and input of the Advisory Committee on Small Public Service Vehicles, a variety of issues including issues related to vehicle licensing, vehicle standards, driver licensing, wheelchair accessible vehicles, fixed payment offences and technological developments.

The NTA intends to conduct a public consultation process in the first half of 2019 in relation to the proposals emerging from the review process. As part of that procedure, public representatives will have the opportunity to submit their views. Where any recommendations emerging from the review were to involve a significant revision of a policy nature and/or require legislative change, then these would be subject to full consideration by the Department.