Taxi Regulation Act 2013

Regulation of passengers in small public service vehicles

29. (1) A passenger or intending passenger in a small public service vehicle shall not—

(a) enter the vehicle, except with the consent of its driver,

(b) deliberately or recklessly damage the vehicle,

(c) deliberately or recklessly remove, displace, deface or alter any instrument, sign or notice in the vehicle,

(d) spit in or on or deliberately or recklessly soil any part of the vehicle,

(e) consume any intoxicating liquor, tobacco or controlled drug (within the meaning of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 ) in the vehicle, or

(f) deliberately or recklessly leave any syringe (within the meaning of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 ) or sharp instrument, broken glass or other thing likely to cause harm in any part of the vehicle.

(2) A passenger or intending passenger in a small public service vehicle shall—

(a) comply with—

(i) any code of conduct regarding the behaviour of passengers in such vehicles, and

(ii) any reasonable request made to him or her by the driver of the vehicle,

and

(b) pay any fare lawfully required of him or her by the driver of the vehicle.

(3) A passenger or an intending passenger in a small public service vehicle shall not, without the permission of the driver of the vehicle, consume food or non-alcohol beverages.

(4) Where a passenger or intending passenger in a small public service vehicle is contravening subsection (1) or (3) or fails to comply with subsection (2), the driver of the vehicle may request the passenger to leave the vehicle, at a place where it is safe from danger of traffic or other hazards, or the intending passenger not to enter the vehicle.

(5) Where a person refuses to leave a vehicle upon the request of its driver, the driver may request a member of the Garda Síochána to remove the person.

(6) A passenger or an intending passenger in a small public service vehicle who contravenes subsection (1) or (3) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a class C fine.