Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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235. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fixed fares introduced by a company (details supplied); and if he will ensure taxi drivers are paid fairly. [65993/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The NTA is the independent transport regulator of the SPSV sector, and I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of that sector. The ongoing protests by taxi drivers concerning the taxi fixed price option on the Uber app, is not a matter for the Department of Transport or the NTA to address.

Taxi drivers, who are self-employed operators, make a business decision to sign up (or not) with a licensed dispatch operator and are not obliged by the NTA to sign up with any dispatch operator.

Dispatch operators are required to provide bookings to SPSV licenced drivers using SPSV licenced vehicles, only. Where taxi drivers choose to affiliate with a dispatch operator, they are free to contract with a dispatch operator of their choice.

I issued a letter to the NTA on 19 November last asking that they clarify the regulatory position on the Uber fixed price fare for the information of taxi operators and public representatives alike.