Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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46. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will expand the nine-year rule requiring taxis to be younger than nine years and consider a temporary extension of this (details supplied). [32437/21]

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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48. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to extend the ten-year rule for taxi drivers in view of the severe impact that Covid-19 has had on the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32403/21]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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207. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered a review of the nine-year rule in regard to the taxi industry; and if older vehicles having passed a strict NCT test could be permitted to operate as taxis. [32598/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 48 and 207 together.

The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including age limits, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.

At the start of the pandemic, the NTA, which is the independent regulator of the SPSV sector, immediately extended age limits for taxis and hackneys and has done so twice more since. The most recent extension, made last month, ensures no vehicle will be forced to exit the fleet due to age limits in 2021 and I trust that the Authority will keep this issue under review as society and the economy reopens and passenger demand returns.