Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 October 2026
92. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which he and or his officials have engaged with the Department of Infrastructure in Northern Ireland in respect of a reciprocal arrangement for smaller passenger vans (details supplied) and so on, to operate in each other's jurisdictions; and if he has consulted with Tourism Ireland in respect of same. [71715/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra96. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the development of legislative changes to the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 with respect to cross-Border taxi services. [71681/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 96 together.
The 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. Under section 6(2) of this Act, An Garda Síochána is responsible for the granting of SPSV driver licences. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector.
Under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013, operators are required to hold an SPSV licence and an SPSV driver licence to carry persons for hire or reward in the State. The 2013 Act and its requirements only apply to services provided in the State - it does not provide for services across a border. The legislative position in Northern Ireland is similar. Thus, under current legislation, a taxi operator wishing to operate cross-border services, would have to apply for and obtain SPSV licences on each side of the border. Unlike other areas of transport - such as bus and road haulage operations - taxi services are not subject to EU harmonisation, so arrangements for regulating taxi services remain a matter for the relevant authorities in each EU Member State, in respect of services that operate in their jurisdiction.
With a view to ensuring that cross-border taxi services could be better legally facilitated and appropriately regulated, a previous Minister for Transport agreed with his counterpart in Northern Ireland that primary legislation would be prepared, on a reciprocal basis, in both jurisdictions to allow for exempting licensed taxi operators in respect of certain cross-border services, subject to specified conditions.
In this regard, officials of my Department will be in contact with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to arrange a meeting which will take place on a date that is suitable to all to explore the matter further.
