Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
213. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport the latest updates on addressing taxi shortages at peak times; if this includes extending the operating hours of public transport services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14319/24]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including SPSVs licensing, 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.
Both the NTA and the Department have taken a number of steps to support taxi drivers nationally and to increase the number of taxis available to passengers. I support the measures taken by the NTA to ensure the safe and effective operation of the SPSV sector, and acknowledge the work of SPSV drivers in delivering this service to a high standard.
The NTA’s Board approved an average increase of 12% on taxi fares from 1st September 2022. The increase is weighted in favour of premium hours, such as weekend nights, Sundays, and bank holidays. It is designed to attract more people to the taxi industry and to encourage more taxi drivers to work during unsocial hours, such as late nights, therefore increasing availability of taxis to passengers nationally. This late-night fare weighting is working very well, which is borne out in a much-reduced number of consumer complaints received by the NTA. As the Deputy may be aware, taxi drivers are self-employed and can choose their own hours of work within the regulatory framework.
The current number of licensed vehicles is 19,796. 47% of those vehicles are licensed to drivers with addresses in rural areas. A licensed vehicle can be operated anywhere in the country. It is only the licensed driver that has a geographical area restriction. In May 2023, the NTA undertook a nationally representative survey of taxi user research which covered the topic of availability. Of the respondents, which included both rural and urban areas, 81% reported finding it easy to get a taxi (under 15 minutes).
A total of 2,168 new SPSV driver licences have been granted by An Garda Síochána, the licensing authority for SPSV drivers, in the last 12 months. This is a 72.6% increase when compared to the previous 12 months (March 2022 to February 2023). For 2023, the monthly average for new driver licences issued was 166. This is due to the NTA's ‘Driver Recruitment Campaign’ which ran in July 2022. In comparison, 2022 had a monthly average of 99 per month, 2021 had 45, 2020 had 71 and 2019 had 139.
There is no cap on either vehicle or driver licence numbers in Ireland. The NTA is currently accepting licence applications for wheelchair accessible taxis, wheelchair accessible hackneys, limousines, and local area hackneys.
Section 73(5) of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 provides that the Minister may consult with, or seek the advice of, the Advisory Committee on Small Public Service Vehicles on any matter arising in relation to their functions with respect to small public service vehicles and their drives. I have recently written to the Advisory Committee to request its consideration of how taxi availability can be assessed and to make recommendations on how relevant data can be collected.
Finally, with regard to public transport services,, Dublin Bus operates ten 24-hour services (including Routes 15, 39a, 41, C1, C2, C5, C6, G1, G2 and the N4) seven days a week across the city. Dublin Bus also operates the Nitelink, which offers twelve routes every Friday and Saturday night to suburbs all over Dublin.
Currently there is one 24-hour bus service in operation in Cork, which runs between Ovens/Ballincollig and Carrigaline. However, under the BusConnects Cork programme it is intended to adapt this service into to two separate 24 hour bus routes crossing the city, with plans for the second service to cover the area from Carrigaline to Hollyhill.
While I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
