Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
89. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport his plans to support the chauffeur and coach industries whose sectors have been severely hit by the ongoing pandemic and travel restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4742/21]
View answer114. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the support given by his Department or the agencies under the remit of his Department to the chauffeur and small luxury coach industry due to the challenges faced by the sector due to Covid-19; if the details of planned additional measures to assist the sector will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3823/21]
View answer127. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport if additional supports will be provided to chauffeurs due to Covid-19 restrictions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3915/21]
View answer128. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport if he will meet with representatives of an organisation (details supplied) to discuss the sector’s exclusion from current Covid-19 financial supports and the way in which this can be rectified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3916/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 114, 127 and 128 together.
The passenger transport sector has been acutely affected by COVID-19 as public health restrictions have necessarily discouraged people from traveling generally. Small public service vehicle (SPSV) operators have been badly affected due to their dependence on the hospitality and tourism sectors. Limousine operators, who are particularly dependent on overseas tourism and major events, have suffered a near total drop in demand for their services and many have been simply unable to work since the pandemic started in March of last year.
The Government has introduced a wide-ranging programme of supports for businesses like these that are adversely affected by Covid. These supports include wage subsidies, rates waivers, re-start grants, lending facilities, equity injection, and business advisory supports. Many SPSV operators, including limousine drivers, have been able to avail of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment which remains open to new applicants. This payment continues to provide an important safety net to operators, recognising their dependency on other sectors of the economy, notably the hospitality industry.
Limousine drivers are particularly dependent on the tourism industry. The 2021 Budget put in place a number of substantial measures to support and strengthen the tourism sector. The total funding for the tourism sector has increased in 2021 by over €59 million or 36% over the initial 2020 allocation in Budget 2020 to €220.9 million. Further details on these measures are available from my colleague, the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin T.D.
Measures to support the SPSV industry have also been taken by the industry’s statutory regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA). These measures include the waiver of vehicle licencing fees for 2021, the waiver of late renewal fees, and the facilitation of insurance suspensions for vehicles in conjunction with the insurance industry. The NTA has also been in contact representatives from several limousine representative bodies including the particular organisation referred to in the Questions.
