MINISTER OF State for Transport Alan Kelly has announced the membership of a committee to review regulation of the taxi industry.
The taxi review group was first announced last month after a television documentary highlighted what Mr Kelly described as “unacceptable practices” in the sector.
Mr Kelly, who will chair the group, said yesterday every effort must be made to improve standards and give fair competition to those operating within the taxi sector.
The group will report back within four months. It is expected to make specific recommendations on licensing, enforcement, vehicle standards, supply issues in rural and urban areas and safe driver working hours.
Speaking last month following the Prime Time Investigates programme on RTÉ, Mr Kelly pledged to eliminate fraud and illegal activity so that “the majority of taxi drivers who do their jobs properly are not competing with rogue elements in the sector”.
“We also have to make the public feel safe using taxis.”
He said the initiative had the full support of the Government and was a priority for completion.
The other members of the group are: Pat Byrne (vice-chairman and current chairman of the Taxi Advisory Committee); John Murphy, assistant secretary, Department of Transport; Brendan Callaghan, principal officer, Department of Justice; John Evans of the Competition Authority; Chief Supt Gabriel McIntyre, National Traffic Corps; Supt Declan Brogan, Carriage Office; Derek McGovern, taxi dispatch operator; Christy Humphreys, member of the Joint Taxi Council; Kevin Finn, taxi driver; Siobhán Barron, director, National Disability Authority; Renee Dempsey, chief executive of the Equality Authority; Kathleen Doyle, director of Taxi Regulation, National Transport Authority; Tim O’Sullivan, executive manager, Roads Traffic Department, Dublin City Council; James Doorley, former chairman of the Consumer Association of Ireland and a member of the National Youth Council, and Séamus Boland, chief executive of Irish Rural Link.
Submissions may be sent to the Taxi Review Secretariat, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2.
The e-mail address is taxiregulationreview@dttas.ie. The closing date is July 27th