Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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179. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the membership of the Taxi Advisory Council; the number of individual, single-plate holder, taxi drivers on the council; his plans to review the council to ensure it adequately reflects the needs of the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13687/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Advisory Committee on Small Public Service Vehicles (SPSVs), also known as the Taxi Advisory Committee, was established under the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 to provide both the Minister and the NTA with advice in relation to small public service vehicles and their drivers.

The Committee is the primary forum for dealing with issues affecting the sector and many of the measures taken to date have originated as recommendations from the Committee, including the extension of taxi age limits and the waiver of licence fees.  Membership represents a broad range of interests and stakeholders. Drivers are important members of the Committee, and four positions are reserved to represent driver interests. All four of these positions are filled by licenced SPSV drivers from across the country and I am satisfied that this ensures the Committee’s advice is informed by the perspective of drivers. The Committee also features dispatch operators, passenger representatives, members representing the interests of disabled passengers and older passengers, members from the tourist industry, local government and from An Garda Síochána. I am of the view that one of the strengths of the Committee is this broad and diverse representation and I regard the perspective of passengers to be of particular importance when considering SPSV policy issues.

There are currently two vacancies on the Committee.  The NTA, on behalf of the Minister, is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill both positions.  In this regard, consideration is being given to filling one vacancy with a Dublin-based SPSV driver who could act as an additional SPSV/driver interests representative, and also assist in ensuring geographical balance among the SPSV representatives on the Committee, given the large number of Dublin-based SPSV licensees. A person who could effectively represent limousine operators nationwide is being sought for the second vacancy.  The terms of office of a number of other Committee members are due to expire later this year and the filling of those vacancies is currently being considered.  The table below shows the existing membership of the Committee.