Thomas Pringle TD has expressed concerns regarding the recent proposal for a rural hackney service, insisting that existing hackney licence holders should be allowed to apply or tender for it to work efficiently.
The Donegal TD raised the matter with Minister of State for Transport Alan Kelly.
Deputy Pringle said “The recent proposal for a rural hackney service, from the limited media reports I have seen, I understand it is to be introduced by December and will be administered through the rural transport companies and I believe there will be restrictions on the areas in which the hackneys can operate.
“However, I have serious concerns because many hackney drivers operate in the rural part of County Donegal where I live. Even though Killybegs has a population of 1,200 or 1,300 about eight or nine hackneys operate there every weekend. I can see the thought behind introducing this system through the rural transport companies, but existing hackney licence holders should be allowed to apply or tender and then it should be administered through the transport companies, but this current proposal would introduce a third layer of taxis.”
The Killybegs-based politician said that with taxi-plate holders, the hackneys and now these new rural hackneys, there will be major problems with the policing and regulation of it.
“A person getting this new hackney licence might be restricted to operating within a five-mile radius of a small village in County Donegal, however, nothing will prevent him or her from going to operate in the nearest town. We know there will be no regulation because there are a very limited number of enforcement officers nationwide.
“For a country of this size there is no way it will be possible to enforce regulation in that industry. Existing hackney licence holders should be able to tender with the rural transport companies and the payments can then be arranged with the rural transport companies. Hackney licence holders in rural areas are struggling and barely making a living as things stand,” stated Pringle.
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