More Controls Needed On Taxi Drivers
Published 19/03/2002

As 20% of taxi applicants last year had criminal convictions, a new act is urgently needed says Olivia Mitchell. A new Public Service Vehicle Act to improve taxi safety is urgently needed in light of shocking figures which show that 20% of those applying for licences in the last year had criminal convictions, said Fine Gael Frontbench spokesperson on local government, Olivia Mitchell TD today (Tuesday).

"The Gardai cannot automatically refuse a licence based merely on a past criminal history. Where licences are refused the applicant can appeal to the district court and in the three most recent cases the judge overruled the Garda recommendation and granted a licence. One of these licences went to someone with a previous conviction for a sexual offence.

"This is an intolerable situation and requires new legislation to prohibit the granting of taxi PSV licences - at least to sexual offenders. "The opportunity for regulating the quality of our taxi drivers has been further reduced since deregulation. In anticipation of a flood of applications the Minister increased the time for renewal of licences from one year to five years.

"This means a driver could be serving a prison sentence and still be in possession of a licence to drive vulnerable young people immediately on release," she said.

 

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