Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2025
86. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport if he has reviewed international cases, such as the Australian settlement with a company (details supplied); the lessons which can be applied to protect Irish drivers from similar income erosion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67412/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry 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.
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.
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.
