Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
180. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport his views on recent research by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission that indicates that 57% of consumers believe there are not enough taxis in their area, while outside Dublin, just 28% of people agree that there are enough taxis (and just 21% in Connacht and Ulster); the measures he plans to take to address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15484/26]
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.
SPSV vehicle and driver licence numbers have been on the rise since the Covid-19 pandemic. As of 05 February 2026, the number of licensed drivers in Ireland is 27,955. This represents a 10% increase on the 2021 figure of 25,426 and is higher than the number of licensed SPSV drivers pre-Covid 2019 (27,328). Likewise, the number of licensed SPSV vehicles has also been on the rise since Covid with 21,170 vehicles licensed in the fleet as of 5 February 2026, representing a 11% increase on the 2021 figure of 18,946.
A number of initiatives have been taken by the NTA to support taxi drivers nationally and increase the number of taxis available to passengers. Grants, which are administered by the NTA, are available to drivers looking to upgrade or purchase new vehicles. These are the wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) Grant, in which applicants can avail of up to €17,500 in grant funding towards the acquisition or conversion of a suitable vehicle to act as a WAV in the SPSV fleet, and the electric small public service vehicle (eSPSV) grant, where applicants can avail of up to €25,000 in grant aid to upgrade their current vehicle with a replacement electric vehicle. It is possible to combine both Schemes. In the case of eSPSVs, €52,709,700 has been provided since 2018 and for WAVs, €37,392,500 has been provided since 2014.
Furthermore, the Board of the NTA approved a nine per cent increase in the National Maximum Taxi Fare which took effect on 1 December 2024, ensuring that taxi fares continue to reflect the rising costs associated with operating a taxi service in Ireland. This followed on from the 2022 fare review in which a 12% increase was introduced. The 2026 National Maximum Fare Review which is carried out by the NTA, is currently in progress.
From a rural perspective, the local area hackney (LAH) licence offers an SPSV service in a rural community where existing transport services do not serve the needs of the community. The LAH can meet the demand for these services, but it cannot displace any existing SPSV services. The NTA held a six-week public consultation on proposed changes to the LAH regulations which closed on 28 November 2025. The NTA’s proposed key changes to the regulations are to:
• permit more than one local area hackney driver to operate the local area hackney.
• enhance the voice of local communities regarding the transport needs assessment for their area and reduce the regulatory burden on applicants, by giving greater clarity to local communities and applicants on the areas nationwide that are open for applications for LAH licences.
In addition, the NTA proposes to:
• extend the maximum licence period for vehicles and drivers from 3 years to 5 years.
• mandate licence holders to demonstrate that they are providing satisfactory service to their community when renewing their licence.
• reduce the time period in which a licence holder must complete their licence renewals from 12/24 months following expiration to within 3 months of their licence expiry, to ensure that a community is not without the required services; and
• introduce a new Fixed Penalty Notice offence for picking up passengers outside of their permitted local area.
The review of the LAH Regulations includes plans for an updated application process to come online in 2026. In preparation for this, the NTA has paused applications for LAH licences under the existing process, ahead of the new and enhanced process coming online. The NTA is bringing these proposed amendments to the NTA’s Board in February 2026.
