Limerick town included in national hackney pilot scheme
THE LIMERICK town of Abbeyfeale has been included in a national hackney pilot scheme for rural areas.
The Local Hackney Pilot Scheme is a grant-aided programme and will see Abbeyfeale receive the subsidised service which is designed to encourage new part-time local hackney services to operate in communities which could not support a full-time taxi or hackney operation.
The pilot programme will roll out across 21 rural areas across Ireland for one year and all drivers will be licenced, insured and garda vetted and will be able to pick people up from their doors to drop them to where they want to go.
Fine Gael Councillor for the Municipal District of Newcastle West Liam Galvin welcomes the pilot scheme.
“Something needs to be done to transport people from rural Ireland into towns because people have no way of getting home after a few drinks at night,” Cllr Galvin said.
“The legislation isn’t there just yet in its current format for operators who want to operate to carry people out to towns and villages.
“I certainly welcome this scheme. I would also welcome the relaxation of laws and give people the chance to make a few pound at night if they can take people home in a safe fashion,” Cllr Galvin added.
Commenting at the launch, Green Party Leader and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, said: “One of our key priorities in transport is to improve connectivity across rural Ireland in particular, not just in towns, but in the areas around those towns where so many people live and farm.
“This pilot responds to the reality of rural life in Ireland, in a creative and local-based way, connecting people from their doors to local towns, healthcare centres, the post-offices, or onto other transport stops and hubs,” Minister Ryan said.
Each successful applicant for the local hackney license may be granted €6,000 as a subsidy to ordinary fares income, to run the service.
This grant is designed to contribute towards the fixed costs associated with providing this service.
The final acceptance date for applications for the pilot is February 28, 2023 - however, each application will be assessed at the time of receipt.
Two separate licences are legally required to operate a local area hackney; a local area hackney vehicle licence issued by the NTA for suitable, appropriately insured vehicles and a local area hackney driver licence issued by An Garda Síochana for a driver who has been successfully garda vetted.