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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021

Tuesday, 5 October 2021

Questions (133)

Michael Creed

Question:

133. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Transport the details of the supports available from his Department over the past 18 months for taxi drivers that were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular with regard to pandemic unemployment payments and taxi licensing costs and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47769/21]

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Written answers

While the SPSV industry has been badly affected by COVID-19 and passenger demand for services dropped, with the result that many SPSV operators simply could not work during the pandemic, I am pleased to advise that, based on recent figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA), passenger demand for SPSV services is now rising as we progress through the next and final phase of the Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic: COVID-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting. NTA figures also show a steady increase in the proportion of taxi drivers working over the last few months: from 36% of all drivers working in January 2021 to 62% working in June 2021. I expect these trends to continue as restrictions are lifted in line with public health advice.

I understand that at the height of the pandemic as many as 70% of SPSV drivers availed of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) which, as the Deputy will be aware, has been extended to February 2022. Self-employed SPSV operators in receipt of the PUP can continue to claim it and earn up to €960 in a given 8-week period, net of expenses. As society continues to reopen and passenger demand for taxis increases, this will become an increasingly important support for drivers as they return to work. Drivers coming off the PUP can avail of the COVID-19 Enterprise Support Grant, worth up to €1,000 to meet the costs associated with returning to work, and which will remain in place for the rest of the year for self-employed people who close their PUP claim.

In relation to standard licence renewal fees for SPSV, these were waived in 2021 and I can confirm that they will be waived again in 2022 at an estimated cost of €3 million.

Many of the major costs associated with operating a taxi, such as insurance and dispatch operator fees, can be deferred or cancelled during a period of inactivity. My Department has funded additional measures targeted at the statutory costs faced by SPSV operators which cannot be deferred. I have allocated €3.5 million towards the refund of NCT test fees and Motor Tax for SPSV operators for a 12-month period. The schemes are administered by the NTA and commenced on 1 September 2021, running until 30 August 2022.

The replacement of a vehicle is the single largest cost faced by any SPSV operator. The NTA extended age limits several times since the start of the pandemic, with standard age limits for taxis and hackneys now waived through to the end of 2022, thereby ensuring no operator exits the industry simply because of the need to replace a vehicle.

I nevertheless remain committed to supporting the transition of the SPSV fleet towards zero/low-emission vehicles. That is why I increased the funding available to the Electric SPSV (eSPSV) grant scheme for 2021 to €15 million, up from €1 million the previous year. I also doubled the amount payable under the scheme to €20,000 for operators who scrap older vehicles and make the switch to full electric models. The take up rate for this scheme has been exceptionally high and the scheme recently closed to new applications following the exhaustion of this year's allocation for the scheme. I expect to announce a further eSPSV scheme for 2022 as part of the forthcoming budget.

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