A “SIGNIFICANT” number of Ireland’s 38,000 taxi drivers would “exit the industry” as a result of measures approved by Cabinet yesterday, Minister of State for Transport Alan Kelly said.
Mr Kelly said there was an “over-supply” of between 13 per cent and 22 per cent in the industry when he unveiled the Taxi Regulation Review report, which makes 46 recommendations about driver licensing, vehicle standards and wheelchair accessibility.
“I expect there to be a serious exit of the industry as a result of these recommendations. Hence I expect that the volume of taxi drivers and the way in which they operate will change significantly, and that it will become an industry where you can make an honest day’s living.”
He predicted a “levelling out” of the number of taxi drivers in cities such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford.
New legislation will mean taxi drivers with certain criminal convictions will have to apply to the courts to maintain their licences.
“We intend to produce legislation under the Taxi Regulation Act to ensure that those who are convicted of serious crimes will no longer be able to operate a taxi, and this will be retrospective,” Mr Kelly said.
He hoped the legislation would be brought through the Dáil “in the second quarter of this year”.
A new system of penalty points specific to the taxi sector will be introduced, with a graduated system of fixed fines as opposed to a single €250 fine for all offences.
Mr Kelly said there was a level of revenue avoidance and fraud in the industry that needed to be addressed.
“If you’re a rogue operator in this industry, or if you are somebody that shouldn’t be operating behind the wheel of a taxi vehicle, this is not going to be a good day for you. It’s a good day for professional taxi drivers.
“We are looking at the whole area of the suspension of licences. So, if somebody has been a serial offender in relation to the way in which they behave, we will look at the option of suspending people’s licences.”
Drivers will have to declare if they have any other employment at the time of licence application or renewal. If this is the case, the application requires the submission of a form signed by the applicant’s employer confirming that the two jobs are compatible.
Mr Kelly said the tourism industry would be enlisted to look at ways in which taxi drivers could be trained “in the whole area of hospitality” because they were one of the first contact points for visitors to the country.
The age limit for new taxis and those in service since January 2009 will be nine years and 14 years for vehicles operating in the industry prior to that date. The latter category of vehicles will have to undergo a suitability and NCT test every six months.
All future applicants for taxi licences will have to ensure their cars can accept credit cards, while it is hoped the recently launched Leap public transport card will also be used for payment purposes. Taxi vehicle licences will not be transferrable from October of this year. A new, smaller taxi roof sign will be designed.
Mr Kelly said there was a failure to provide adequate service for people who used wheelchairs.
There was also “market failure” in the provision of taxi services to rural areas, so a local hackney licence applicable to small villages would be established.
The report did not make any recommendation about fares.
