Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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396. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he intends to introduce legislation which would allow local authorities to regulate the use of horse drawn carriages on public roads. [20490/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As the Deputy may be aware, some local authorities develop bye-laws to licence horse-drawn carriages operating commercially. Through bye-laws, these local authorities set their own rules and stipulations to govern such operations. It is under Part 19 of the Local Government Act 2001 that local authorities are provided with power in respect of making bye-laws. Local Government legislation comes within the ambit of my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.

In most counties, there seems to have been little demand and bye-laws are not in place. In other areas, the matter is more relevant. For example, in Kerry, where there is a long tradition of jarvey operation, bye-laws have been adopted to regulate the operation of these horse-drawn hackney carriages.

Unlike other local authorities in the country, Dublin City Council lacks the power to regulate and set standards for horse-drawn carriages. My Department is working with relevant stakeholders in developing an appropriate regulatory framework for this area. This work includes the consideration of how best to safely repeal the Dublin Carriage Acts 1853-55, which currently vests the power to regulate horse-drawn carriages in Dublin with the Dublin Metropolitan Police Commissioners, to whom An Garda Síochána is the successor. Work on this issue, unfortunately, did not progress as planned in the last two years due to the need to prioritise work in other areas as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Work is once again progressing, however, and it is expected that, once consultations with relevant stakeholders have been completed, approval of Government will be sought to commence detailed drafting of the necessary legislation.