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Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020

Wednesday, 3 June 2020

Ceisteanna (941)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

941. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he or his officials have had discussions with representatives of the bus, coach and chauffeur sectors to develop a package of supports for the sector which will be impacted for a long time by the Covid-19 pandemic (details supplied); if not, his plans to organise such discussions and put a package of supports in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9175/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I understand the very difficult business environment that the bus, coach & small public service vehicle (SPSV) operators are now dealing with.  Indeed, across Government we are acutely aware that the COVID-19 situation presents huge challenges for very many business sectors.

That is why we have worked to introduce a wide programme of Government supports for impacted businesses.  The range of supports available includes new schemes of wage subsidies, pandemic unemployment payment, rates waivers, re-start grants, lending facilities, equity injection, and business advisory supports for example. 

While the majority of public transport in Ireland is provided by the publicly-subvented bus and rail services funded through National Transport Authority's (NTA) public service obligation (PSO) programme, the public transport system also includes non-subvented bus services provided on a commercial basis by bus and coach businesses of varying size. I understand that about 90% of the commercial bus operators have suspended their services or are providing significantly reduced services at present. In this context, the NTA is engaging directly with both PSO and commercial transport operators and will publish their proposals shortly.

My Department is also engaging directly with PSO and commercial operators to help inform policy decisions in relation to the public transport sector as we progress through the various phases of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. Further, I am engaging with my colleague, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation about these matters and am raising with her the concerns and situation of the commercial operators.

I am aware that many operators in these sectors are particularly reliant on the tourism and hospitality sector. My Department has recently commenced engagement with the Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland and since late February officials from my Department have engaged with the SPSV industry with a view to understanding the challenges facing the sector. In addition, with my colleague, Minister of State Griffin, I have established the COVID-19 Tourism Monitoring Group. This group comprises industry stakeholders, the tourism agencies and Departmental officials and has been specifically established to monitor the disruption to the tourism sector and to assist in formulating the sector’s response to the crisis.

The NTA has also taken a number of actions to reduce the immediate financial burden on SPSV operators and to make it easier for them to return to the industry when circumstances change. The NTA has extended licences expiring before 12 June 2020 by three months, waived late licence renewal fees, and temporarily relaxed rules around vehicle age limits. It has engaged with the insurance industry to facilitate a suspension of SPSV insurance for those operators who decide to temporarily stop working and suspend their licences.  The NTA has also put in place arrangements to facilitate the swift re-activation of the suspended licence when such an SPSV operator wishes to return to work. Furthermore, it is my intention to meet with the Advisory Committee on SPSVs next month.

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