Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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279. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider the creation of a new taxi/hackney licence to service rural Ireland. [16616/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, 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.

The NTA is currently reviewing SPSV service provision in rural locations, including the provision of the local area hackney licences. An output to this review is expected in the coming months. I expect the outcome of this review to include the potential for a further grant-aided scheme to support local area hackneys.

As the Deputy is aware, the NTA issues local area hackney (LAH) licences where applicants can show that there is a need for this part-time service and that it will not displace or replace current SPSV providers in a given area. A resident of the area in respect of which the local area hackney licence is sought, is not required to undertake the Industry Knowledge or Area Knowledge tests normally applying for SPSV driver licences. LAH drivers nevertheless must be licensed, and their vehicles must be licensed and insured. A local area hackney may only pick up passengers within a designated area of about 10km and may not pick up a new fare at a drop off point or any other point outside its designated area. As of 28 February 2025, there are 22 licensed LAH vehicles and 24 licensed LAH drivers.

A key part of the NTA’s Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan is to implement non ‘fixed-route' public transport services in highly remote, sparsely populated areas. With funding under the Climate Action Fund, I’m delighted to say that the NTA will be piloting Smart Demand Responsive Services (DRT) services in Mayo, Kerry and Limerick during 2025. Smart DRT presents an opportunity to implement an agile, public transport solution in both rural and urban areas and help tackle transport disadvantage that can, and does, exist in certain areas that are not suited for traditional transport services. If proven successful, this service could expand further from 2026 onwards.