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Taximeter areas. 
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41.—(1) The Commission may— 
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(a) declare any area to be a taximeter area in which a taxi may operate for the carriage of a passenger for reward within the area, and 
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(b) extend or otherwise alter the boundary of a taximeter area. 
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(2) Before making a declaration under subsection (1), the Commission shall— 
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(a) consult with the Council, the Garda Commissioner and the local authority in whose functional area the taximeter area is located, 
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(b) publish a notice in one or more newspapers circulating in the area to be declared to be a taximeter area or where an existing taximeter area is to be extended or otherwise altered— 
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(i) indicating that it is proposed to make such a declaration, and 
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(ii) stating that representations in relation to the proposed declaration may be made in writing to the Commission within a period of one month from the publication of the notice, 
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(c) consider any observations made by the Council or the Garda Commissioner or a local authority under paragraph (a) and any representations made subsequent to the publication of the notice referred to in paragraph (b). 
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(3) An area declared before the commencement of this section to be a taximeter area under article 7(1) of the Regulations of 1995, or regarded to be a taximeter area under article 7(3) of the Regulations of 1995, is deemed to be a taximeter area for the purpose of this section and may be extended or altered by the Commission in accordance with this section. 
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(4) A licensing authority (within the meaning of the Regulations of 1995) shall not, upon the commencement of this section, declare, extend or alter a taximeter area under the Regulations of 1995. 
 
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