Danny Healy-Rae calls for taxi-age extensions, criticises Uber rules
Danny Healy-Rae spoke about vehicle age rules affecting taxi and school transport operators, urging extensions for cars impacted during COVID and arguing that condition should matter more than a strict age cutoff. He also condemned unequal regulatory treatment for new ride‑hailing services that do not face the same requirements as licensed taxis.
Family PSV licence and age-rule concerns
He described his family's PSV licence for school transport since 1956 and said operators comply with many regulations. He criticised the 15-year rule, citing examples of vehicles barely used during COVID and owners incapacitated for long periods, and argued that mileage and condition should be considered before forcing replacement.
Unequal treatment of ride‑hailing services
He said he agreed 'a hundred percent' that if a different type of taxi service such as Uber operates without complying with the same rules as licensed taxis, that is wrong. He acknowledged uncertainty about how to resolve the enforcement and regulatory gap.
Rural taxi availability and night-time shortages
He warned of declining taxi availability in rural areas, naming Kilgarvan and Newcastle West as examples where taxis are rarely seen at night and drivers favour larger towns. He said the lack of late-night transport deters people from going out and urged collective action to address the problem.
NTA extensions and vehicle replacement questions
He reported that campaigners have asked the NTA to extend age restrictions for cars affected during COVID, saying there are '751 cars going off the road now' and that cars from recent years were not getting extensions. He raised the question of whether some replacements must be wheelchair accessible and recorded the reply 'No, no, no', adding that he likes the new cars as much as the older ones.
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Thank you very much. First of all I want to welcome you all here and as was to get you to understand I don't get in till last because I'm not a member of the committee and them are the rules and that's fine and I'm very appreciative that the cohort lets me in. My background is we've had a PSV licence in our family and my father before me since 1956 for the provision of school transport and that's all we do and I understand what you have to comply with and the bars and all the regulations that you have to comply with and have a vehicle and all that and I appreciate what Jory said very much about the 15 year rule now and I had a number of people on to me that are cars that are taxis reached the age of I don't know that to replace them before the end of last year now and they were making the case that during COVID there were very little use and everything like that and this one particular man had his hip done and he was out of commission for 12 months practically and surely the case has to be made for a vehicle that passes all the tests and everything and why do you have to change it just because of the age. I mean we all know that one car could have a million miles done and another may not have a hundred thousand miles done and sure which is the normal car could have way more miles done. I mean that has to be looked at and I know there are several other issues and what I really you know agree with you a hundred percent is if there's another type of taxi or whatever you call it Uber or whatever it is come in and don't have to comply with the same rules that you have to that's wrong. I don't know I don't know how we're going to address it chairman but I can understand that there are way less taxis in places like Kilgarvan and I have Joanne Collins there talking about Newcastle West but to the same everywhere they're not to be seen at night at all at all and then during the week and the weekend then they go to maybe the bigger town and they're too busy there and we just don't have public transport and look, anything that I can do, send me emails or whatever personally and I always do my best, I understand your problem and I can see the issue and it's only how do we combine together to deal with it and I see Adrian there, I understand his business and that just people don't come out, they can't come out if they can't get home and we understand that and I don't know how we're going to deal with it which is a massive problem and it's not often myself and Richard Boyd Barrett agree on an issue but we do agree on this, look, I know you want to talk yourself I'm with you for whatever I can do for you and I'd only be grateful to be asked and like to be asked. Well, that's the first time Deputy Healey Ray has finished ahead of time and for that, there's a lot of firsts here today and not alone then, I'm getting worried because he's agreeing with Deputy Boyd Barrett and I really appreciate that and time is off the essence and I must go as well and thank you Thank you For the last few years we've been asking the NTA to extend age restrictions for the cars that were affected during COVID and there's 751 cars going off the road now at the end of 2016 the 161 cars, 162 cars are not getting an extension and the 151, 152 cars last year were in the same situation but because it went then into the Fine Gael Manifesto they were giving an extension and I wish one years to draw up a new manifesto and give these people an extension And just from my own knowledge, the 161 Senate have to be replaced do they have to be replaced with wheelchair accessible vehicles? No, no, no Look, I, I, I I love the new cars and that's as good as the other cars Can I add to that? The submission we made that every I can't, time is off the essence and I've got restrictions
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