Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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171. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review the taxi licensing system in view of dropping numbers and a lack of services particularly in rural towns and villages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45914/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including SPSV licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV industry.

The NTA introduced a Local Area Hackney (LAH) pilot scheme last January, in 21 designated areas, for which applications closed on 28 February. It is a one-year grant-aided pilot programme, administered by the NTA, that aims to assist in the provision of part-time local hackney services in designated rural areas which cannot support a full-time taxi or hackney operation. With this pilot service, rural communities across Ireland will be given the opportunity to have a part time local area hackney service available to them.

41 applications were received for 15 areas. At end August 2023, provisional grant offers had issued to selected candidates in those 15 areas. Two candidates (Castlepollard and Roundwood) are now fully licensed, operating, and the grant is being paid monthly to both.

The NTA is monitoring the performance of the successful applicants to guide their decision on whether or not to launch a new scheme in 2024.

The LAH is a private hire category of SPSV that was created following the Taxi Regulation Review in 2012. The purpose of the LAH is to offer a SPSV service in a rural community where existing transport services do not serve the needs of the community. The LAH can meet the demand for these services but it cannot displace any existing SPSV services.

The LAH licence is restricted to a specified geographical area surrounding a named village or townland. The area is specified on the licence and it is that community which is the sole focus of the service. Any individual from a local area is welcome to apply to the NTA for a LAH licence, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 22 of S.I. No. 33 of 2015 - Taxi Regulation (Small Public Service Vehicle) Regulations 2015.

I have referred your question to the NTA for further information and direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.