Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
352. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Transport if he intends to legislate or bring in regulations that would allow for the development of ride sharing services in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15119/26]
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.
The focus of Ireland’s regulatory regime for taxis and hackneys is on consumer protection and personal safety. A fundamental tenet of the regulatory regime is that only licensed taxi and hackney drivers, and licensed taxi and hackney vehicles, are used for the carriage of passengers for reward, to protect the consumer and help ensure public safety.
Under legislation, the regulation of the SPSV sector is carried out by the National Transport Authority, which is the licensing authority for vehicles and dispatch operators. An Garda Síochána is the licensing authority for taxi and hackney drivers.
Dispatch operators, such as online services and app companies, must use licensed SPSV drivers to provide journeys to customers. The model where anyone with a private car (not licensed as a small public service vehicle) and an App can provide taxi services does not exist in Ireland. This is not government policy and there is no intention to introduce it. Drivers can use their own vehicles once they meet suitability standards set by the NTA, are licensed, and appropriately insured.
The structure of the taxi and hackney market has undoubtedly changed since liberalisation of the market took place, and more notably in recent years, in relation to the role of dispatch operators. I have requested that the NTA conducts a regulatory assessment of dispatch operator licensing in Ireland in the context of ensuring that the regulatory framework for this element of the overall sector is sufficiently up to date and robust to respond to developments since the enactment of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
The NTA is currently developing a Call for Inputs on the dispatch operator licensing framework as a priority, and expects to publish the Call in late February/early March. A sustainable taxi sector is an important element of our transport system, and I encourage all stakeholders to take the opportunity to feed into this important piece of work, as input from stakeholders will inform the NTA's process and decision-making in revising the current dispatch operator framework.
