Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if taxi drivers are required to accept electronic payments for fares, as distinct from seeking cash payment; and if so, if there is a legal basis for same. [26024/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including arrangements for fares for SPSVs, 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.

As the Deputy may be aware, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 20 and section 48 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013, the NTA introduced the Small Public Service Vehicle (Cashless Payment Facility) Regulations 2022 making it compulsory for operators to provide a card payment option.

Since 1 September 2022, all taxi drivers in Ireland must be equipped with a physical device/terminal to accept cashless payments as well as cash. Cashless payments in other SPSVs (e.g. hackneys or limousines) are provided at the discretion of the vehicle's operator. The Regulations do not relate to invoiced accounts held with operators, or to payments within booking service apps subscribed to by passengers.

Cashless Payment includes any such method identified within Article 4 of Directive (EU) 2015/2366 - the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2). A physical cashless payment device/terminal enables each driver to, in effect, provide their own in-person, in-taxi payment method for passengers to pay by card.