Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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146. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on taxi regulation matters (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68094/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The NTA is the independent transport regulator of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, and I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of that sector.

Ireland's SPSV regulatory framework requires that all drivers and vehicles are licensed, as a means of protecting the consumer and helping ensure public safety. Furthermore, no special regulations have been developed to govern the carriage of passengers by passenger cars which are not SPSVs. Therefore, the classic model where anyone with a car and the relevant App may provide taxi services, does not exist here. The protection of the consumer and personal safety are vital objectives and must continue to be central to how the SPSV industry is regulated and operated.

Uber has been operating as a licensed dispatch operator in Ireland since 2014 and, as it is considered a transport service which offers the carriage of passengers for reward, it is subject to the same regulations as all SPSVs in Ireland. A SPSV dispatch operator is an individual or organisation that provides a service for taking bookings for SPSV services that are delivered by someone else, or who provides a service that enables intending passengers to arrange the hire of an SPSV themselves. The NTA grants dispatch operator licences to individuals or companies, such as Uber which meets set criteria. Dispatch operators have an important role to play in providing a first-class service to the travelling public and improving the delivery of door-to-door services to people with disabilities.

Section 24 of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 & 2016 empowers the NTA Board to make a “Maximum Fares Order” fixing the maximum fare that may be charged by the driver of a taxi for any journey. The current maximum fares order took effect in December 2024, and a maximum fare review is carried out approximately every 2 years. The NTA has conducted these reviews since 2011. Hackneys and limousines agree their fares in advance and do not use a meter.

The NTA's most recent fare review was undertaken between November 2023 and March 2024. During this review, the NTA took account of the most significant economic issues that were relevant to the SPSV sector which included: inflation and cost of living, fuel prices and energy supply, geopolitical uncertainty and increased public transport availability. Following this review, and a public consultation on the matter, the NTA introduced the Taxi Regulation (Maximum Fares) Order 2024 which increased taxi fares by an average of 9%. This came into operation on 1 December 2024 and ensures that taxi fares continue to reflect the rising costs associated with operating a taxi in Ireland. This increase includes a special rate for the weekend peak, 12 midnight to 4.00am, on Friday night into Saturday morning and Saturday night into Sunday morning, year-round, to incentivise more drivers to service the night-time economy. This built on the 2022 Maximum Fares Order in which a 12% increase on fares was introduced.

As set out in the legislation, charging more than this maximum fare can lead to a prosecution, however, charging below the maximum fare is permitted.

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. I also met with the Advisory Committee on SPSVs on 27th November whose role it is to provide advice to the Minister and the NTA in relation to issues relevant to SPSVs and their drivers, where the matter was discussed. I intend to further engage with SPSV sectoral representatives on this issue, once I receive the regulatory clarification from the NTA.

SPSV operators are self-employed and may decide whether (or not) to sign-up with a licensed dispatch operator, such as Uber. They are not obliged to be affiliated with any dispatch operator but where they choose to do so, they are free to contract with a dispatch operator of their choice. They also decide on their own hours of work within the SPSV regulatory framework.