Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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293. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will extend the maximum permissible age of all taxis impacted by the Covid pandemic by two years, as was done for those registered in 2014 and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15209/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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 Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector.

In line with the Programme for Government 2025 commitment to 'extend the ten-year vehicle limit for taxis registered in 2015, offering another year of service', the NTA held a public consultation on the matter which opened on 18 February 2025 and closed on 12 March 2025. The Board of the NTA approved the making of a new Regulation on 21 March 2025, giving effect to this Programme for Government commitment. This new Regulation will be operative from 1 April 2025.

Regulations which took effect on 18 November 2022 provided for maximum age extensions of 36 to 60 months, depending on the original final year of operation of the impacted vehicle. SPSVs registered in 2010 and 2011 have their final year of operation this year. One of the consequences of the 2022 regulations was that vehicles first registered in 2012, 2013 and 2014 could operate longer than vehicles first registered in 2015.

The introduction of the new Regulation will largely address that anomaly, allowing 2015 vehicles an additional year of operation, thus providing a 2026 final operating date for those vehicles. From Jan 1st, 2028, all the extensions provided for under the 2022 Regulations will have ended.

Given the NTA's responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the SPSV sector, including vehicle age limits, I have referred your question to the NTA for further information. Please advise my private office if you have not received a reply within 10 working days.