Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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62. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the calls made by taxi representative groups at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications for supports for their industry (details supplied); his plans to support the calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46270/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Many of the issues raised by industry representatives are matters for the NTA, as the independent regulator of the sector and, in this context, the NTA is constantly in contact with taxi operators, drivers, and representatives.

The following are supports introduced in recent years to assist the sector as it dealt with, and now recovers from, the COVID-19 pandemic:

- The eSPSV Grant Scheme to which I allocated €15m toward this year alone and which supports drivers in their transition to zero / low emission vehicles;

- The eSPSV Business Loan provided by Microfinance Ireland to support those SPSV owners accessing the eSPSV Grant Scheme but who are unable to secure finance from financial institutions;

- Government’s generally applicable reduction in fuel related duties introduced this year;

- The NTA’s previous extensions of the Maximum Permissible Age for vehicles which ensured no operator exited the industry simply because of the need to replace a vehicle;

- The NTA’s launch of a driver recruitment campaign this summer to promote the sector as a place of employment for people;

- The NTA’s recent announcement of new fares which are weighted in favour of those drivers working at unsocial hours, like nights and bank holidays.

In addition the NTA has this week announced a public consultation on a further extension to the Maximum Permissible Age of vehicles in recognition of the difficulties currently being experienced by operators in sourcing new vehicles.

I have no plans to dissolve the Advisory Committee on Small Public Service Vehicles. The Committee has played an important role in advising my Department and the National Transport Authority (NTA) on the issues facing the industry and on how ensure its future sustainability.

The Committee is the primary forum for dealing with issues affecting the sector. Many of the measures taken to support the taxi industry, throughout the pandemic and more recently, have originated as recommendations from the Committee.

Since the start of pandemic I have, on three occasions, met with the Advisory Committee on Small Public Services (SPSVs). I also met with a group of representatives of several taxi associations/unions on two occasions, and also with representatives of taxi dispatch operators in November last. Other members of Government, including the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, have also met with taxi driver representatives.

The Advisory Committee has been and will remain the central focus on engagement with the SPSV sector in relation to issues affecting the sector.