The Minister of State is very welcome. This is my first time to address him since he was re-elevated and I congratulate him on that. I am delighted to see him in post and am sure that the people over in north west are also delighted to see him in post as well.

Recently I spoke in this House about a serious matter concerning the taxi industry and today I would like to address the current regulatory issues affecting the industry. I raised serious concerns in the House about companies holding up to 200 taxi plates and renting them out at rates of between €100 and €200 per week. Just last week I travelled in a taxi whose driver was paying €200 per week to rent a plate. That is €10,400 per year before vehicle maintenance, insurance, rental and fuel costs are factored in. Many drivers effectively work the first three days of the week just to pay the cost of running the car. When deregulation was brought in, the idea was to create more competition in the industry and to make taxis better value for money for ordinary citizens.

I understand, anecdotally, that there are individuals in this city who hold 100 or 200 plates, some of whom are absent landlords living outside the State. This raises fundamental questions. Is this consistent with the original rationale for deregulation? How can we be sure those who are driving taxis have the necessary qualification, have passed the public service vehicle test, are properly insured and meet the safety standards? If I can rent a plate from somebody and stick up some sort of a form on my window, is anybody going to stop me and check that I have actually qualified to drive the car? Who allowed one individual to purchase 200 plates and rent them out at exorbitant sums like €10,400 a year? It is an enormous sum for somebody who does not even drive a taxi. We find that there are taxis on the road 24 hours a day, as two people may choose to rent the same plate or share the rental of the plate.

Every person has a right to earn a living and that includes taxi drivers, so I have no difficulty with taxi drivers and the rates they charge. However, in recent years we have seen the growth of taxi call centres. Freenow was the first one into the country and Uber is here now. They are great services. I can pick up the phone or go to my app and hail a taxi, and that is fantastic but let us take an example I was given last week. A person booked a taxi from one of the platforms to go to Dublin Airport from Cabinteely. The cost of the taxi was quoted at €66. The person agreed to the charge outlined for them. What happened then? The company involved contacted the taxi drivers and said, "I have a trip from Cabinteely to Dublin Airport and I am offering €30 for it. Who wants to take it?". If nobody takes it at €30, it will increase it to €35. If nobody takes it at €35, it will increase again.

Effectively, what we have is the very people who could introduce competition to the system by asking drivers to bid for runs are taking the fixed price and giving a greatly reduced price to the driver, making absolutely massive profits for themselves. This, I believe, is repugnant to the whole idea of deregulation. I understand the system in the UK is that some of these large companies are running a bidding competition for every trip. While the plan was to deregulate the system, these two issues are running against the notion of competition. One is the rental of a taxi plate. It should be one plate for one family - simple as that, or one plate for one driver. There should not be a capacity for anybody to own more than one plate and with regard to those who do own them, we should review the regulations and get back to a situation where every driver owns his own plate, or her own plate as the case may be. The other one then, of course, is the bidding. By all means, bid for runs but if you do, pass it on to the consumer. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.

I thank the Senator for his question and I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.

I wish to clarify that the National Transport Authority, NTA, is the independent transport regulator of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, sector,, that is, taxis and hackneys. The Minister for Transport is not involved in the day-to-day operation of that sector and notes recent developments regarding taxi protests.

Ireland has a robust regulatory framework for taxis and hackneys, which require that all drivers and vehicles be licensed as a means to protect the consumer and help ensure public safety. Furthermore, no special regulations have been developed to govern the carriage of passengers by passenger cars that are not small public service vehicles. Therefore, the classic model where anyone with a car and the relevant app may provide taxi services does not exist here. Protection of the consumer and personal safety are vital objectives and must continue to be central to how the SPSV industry is regulated and operated.

In November 2025, Uber Ireland introduced a new option on its platform, providing customers with a single maximum price for a trip before requesting.

The option is referred to on the platform as "taxi fixed price". Usually, when booking a taxi with Uber or other dispatch operators, a price range of the approximate cost of the journey is shown. With the Uber taxi-fixed-price option, the customer will now be provided with a maximum guaranteed price upfront. If the final price on the taximeter is less than the designated maximum price provided, users pay the lower price. If the final price on the taximeter is greater than the maximum price, users pay the maximum price.

From a legislative perspective, section 24 of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016 empowers the NTA board to make a maximum fares order to fix the maximum fare that may be charged by the driver of a taxi for any journey. The current maximum fares order took effect in December 2024, and a maximum fare review is carried out approximately every two years. The NTA has conducted these reviews since 2011. Hackneys and limousines agree their fares in advance and do not use meters.

As set out in the legislation, charging more than the maximum fare can lead to prosecution. However, charging below the maximum fare is permitted. The Minister understands that the Uber fixed-price offer does not breach the maximum fare regulatory provisions for taxis. Neither does it constitute an offence associated with the misuse of taximeters set out by the NTA in the Small Public Service Vehicle (Fixed Payment Offences and Driver Licence Period) Regulations 2022. SPSV operators are self-employed and may decide whether or not to sign up with a licensed dispatch operator, such as Uber. They are not obliged to be affiliated with any dispatch operator. Where they choose to do so, taxi drivers are free to contract with a dispatch operator of their choice.

Neither the Minister nor the NTA are parties to the commercial or contractual arrangements between SPSV drivers and their dispatch operators. Accordingly, the Department and the NTA have no role in the approval of such matters.

Senator Craughwell raised that one individual, a family or company can have up to 100 or 200 plates. That is a very disturbing matter. I will bring the issue to the attention of the Minister.

I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive reply from the Department. When tabling this matter, I was aware that the Department has the NTA to oversee the industry, if one wants to put it like that. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter, which I raised in order to discuss this matter of public concern. From what I understand, the fixed-price system used is not to the benefit of the consumer. Rather, it is to the benefit of the operator. Based on what we have heard today, first and foremost, could the NTA carry out a review immediately? I appreciate the fact that the NTA cannot be involved in a contract between a driver or service provider and a call centre.

If I were a taxi driver and I were being screwed like this, I would urge people to move away from the provider and to find one that would treat them in a fair and comprehensive way. I thank the Minister of State for his time.

As previously mentioned, the regulation of the SPSV industry, including the setting of fares, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the NTA, to which Senator Craughwell alluded. Section 24 of the Consolidated Taxi Regulations Acts 2013 and 2016 vests power in the NTA board to make a maximum fares order that fixes the maximum fares that may be charged by a taxi driver. The NTA conducts fare reviews approximately every two years. The current maximum fares order took effect in December 2024. Taxi fixed price is a trip option introduced by Uber in Ireland where passengers see a single maximum price for their trip before requesting it. The Minister does understand that Uber taxi fixed price is also available in other jurisdictions such as Berlin, Brussels, in London for licensed black taxis that use the Uber app, and in Madrid. He also understands that how it works is that a price is displayed in advance showing the maximum fare for the ride and the user pays a lower meter fare or the maximum fare provided. I will bring the Senator's concerns back to the Minister.