Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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100. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will engage with the National Transport Authority to secure vehicle license extensions for taxi drivers who registered from 2015 to 2019 who, through no fault of their own, only received seven-and-a-half years of usage from their vehicles due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with consideration given to the growing need to grow the Irish taxi fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37550/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including vehicle age limits for SPSVs, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Act 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV industry.

Regulations made by the NTA in 2010 first established a maximum permissible age of 10 years for new standard taxis and hackneys. The ten-year rule was adopted in recognition of the need to strike a balance between achieving standards that offer the customer confidence, comfort, and safety, and allowing industry members to operate successfully.

The Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016 require the NTA to seek to promote the provision and maintenance of quality services by small public service vehicles and their drivers. Taxi Regulation (Small Public Service Vehicle) Regulations 2015 continued the age limit for taxis and hackneys as, in general, less than 10 years old and always of a condition and quality suitable to provide SPSV services.

The NTA's extension of age limits during Covid-19 was an emergency measure of a temporary nature, taken in recognition of the particular challenges posed by the pandemic and was specifically aimed at ensuring that no operator would be required to change their vehicle while passenger demand remained low, and there was a lack suitable vehicles available for purchase.

The 2022 Regulations amend Regulation 31 (Maximum Permissible Age Requirements) of the Taxi Regulation (Small Public Service Vehicle) Regulations 2015. This amendment was made as an exceptional provision and contingency measure, as a result of vehicle supply issues. The Regulations also provide for a graduated return to the ten-year age limit, with vehicles whose 10-year limit was originally in 2020 or 2021 now extended to 2025; those whose original limit is in 2022 or 2023 now extended to 2026, and those whose original limit will be reached in 2024, extended to 2027.

The impact of the 2022 Regulations has been under continuous review and the NTA does not anticipate introducing any further maximum permissible age extensions, as the instigating factors no longer exist.

Grants which are administered by the NTA, are available for drivers looking to purchase new vehicles. The eSPSV Grant Scheme is available to persons (individuals or companies) applying for new SPSV licences or existing SPSV licence holders who wish to upgrade their current vehicle with a replacement electric vehicle. Applicants can avail of up to €25,000 in grant funding under this Scheme. The WAV Grant is available to provide financial support towards the acquisition or conversion of suitable vehicles to operate as WAVs in the SPSV fleet. Applicants can avail of up to €17,500 in grant funding under this Scheme.