Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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197. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on the recent notification issued by a taxi service platform to its drivers (details supplied) which appears to push drivers into accepting more jobs under the threat of exclusion from the platform; if such a practice is being investigated for potential anti-competitive behaviour that could unfairly disadvantage taxi drivers and undermine market competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49121/23]

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 Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV industry.

Dispatch operators are regulated in Ireland by the NTA. They are permitted to provide bookings to SPSV licenced drivers using SPSV licensed vehicles, only. A fundamental tenet of Ireland’s SPSV regulatory regime is that only SPSV licenced drivers and vehicles are used for the carriage of passengers for reward.

In relation to arrangements between dispatch operators (such as the operator referenced by the Deputy) and SPSV drivers, this is a business operational matter between both parties, which is outside the remit of the NTA and the Minister.A