The Commission for Taxi Regulation (also An Coimisiún Um Rialáil Tacsaithe and Taxi Regulator) was a public body in Ireland that existed between 2004 and 2011 regulating small public service vehicles (SPSVs) - the generic term for taxis, wheelchair accessible taxis, hackneys and limousines.[1]
Taxis and wheelchair-accessible taxis are allowed to pick up passengers in the street or at a stand and have their fares calculated by a meter; hackneys and limousines do not use meters and are not permitted to pick up passengers in the street or at a stand.[2]
The Commission set a single maximum fare structure for taxis for all places in Ireland,[3] although drivers are allowed to offer discounts and customers are permitted to give tips to drivers.[4]
Kathleen Doyle was appointed the Commissioner for Taxi Regulation in 2007.[5]
The first Commissioner, Ger Deering, was appointed in 2004. He had previously been Assistant County Manager at Carlow County Council. In 2007, he left the Commission and was appointed as director of the National Employment Rights Authority.[6]
Prior to the creation of the Commission, taxi licence fees were paid to local authorities, but were paid to the Commission while it existed.[7]
The Commission had been criticised for issuing more taxi licences than some drivers consider appropriate.[8]
Its commissioner has appeared before a joint committee of the Oireachtas (parliament) of Ireland to discuss the work of the Commission.[9]
The Commission was dissolved when Part 4 of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009 came into force on 1 January 2011. Its functions have been transferred to the National Transport Authority.[10]
References edit
- ^ Taxi Regulator Archived 2009-03-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "What is a SPSV? > Categories of SPSV | Taxi Regulator - Ireland's Commission for Taxi Regulation". Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
- ^ "Fare Information > National Taxi Fares | Taxi Regulator - Ireland's Commission for Taxi Regulation". Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
- ^ "Fare Information > FAQs on Fares | Taxi Regulator - Ireland's Commission for Taxi Regulation". Archived from the original on 25 September 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
- ^ Labanyi, David (26 September 2007). "Taxi commission to take over licensing role". Irish Times. Dublin. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
- ^ "National taxi regulator is appointed". RTÉ News. 26 July 2004. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
- ^ McCárthaigh, Seán (18 November 2003). "Councils to lose funding over taxi regulator". Irish Examiner.
- ^ Taylor, Charlie (25 June 2008). "Taxi protests likely to spread - union". ireland.com. Dublin. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
- ^ Oireachtas – Parliamentary Debates (Official Report - Unrevised) Joint Committee on Economic Regulatory Affairs. Tuesday, 4 March 2008. Discussion with Commission for Taxi Regulation.
- ^ "About Taxi Regulation | Taxi Regulator Ireland | Taxi Regulation Directorate". Archived from the original on 2 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
External links edit
- Commission for Taxi Regulation Official site.