merrion street

The Taxi Regulation Bill 2013 will be presented to the Seanad, today, Wednesday 23rd at 11:45am for the first time. The legislation, just published, will be the first time the significance and the impact of the bill will be laid out.  

The Bill provides for the

1.    Mandatory disqualification of taxi drivers with certain categories of criminal records. Current Taxi drivers with serious criminal records will have 12 months to apply to the court to keep their licence. The Bill will be retrospectively applied to taxi drivers operational currently.

2.    The Bill will increase the power of the Gardai when it comes to refusing licences to people they deem to be of unsavoury character and extends

3.    It also provides for a ‘penalty point’ or ‘demerit’ system for taxi drivers who breach the regulations. If a driver accumulates enough demerits they will have their licence suspended. 

Gives power of authorised officers to enter private premises to inspect vehicles

Allows for the use of CCTV for the purposes of taxi enforcement – enforcement on the ranks etc.

The Bill follows a Programme for Government commitment to review all aspects of the taxi sector.

Minister with responsibility for this sector, Public Transport Minister, Alan Kelly, will be addressing the Seanad starting at 11:45am this morning.