Government to Announce €100m Fuel, €120m Road Transporters Support Schemes
Ireland will announce a €100m Fuel Support Scheme for farmers and contractors, and a €120m Road Transporters Scheme for hauliers and passenger operators. Ministers Heydon and O’Brien will detail the plans, approved after protests, to address rising fuel costs.
The Irish government is set to announce details of its €100 million Fuel Support Scheme and €120 million Road Transporters Scheme. Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon and Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien will make the announcement at Government Buildings.
The Fuel Support Subsidy Scheme, approved by Cabinet, targets farmers, farm contractors, fisheries, construction contractors, and quarry truck drivers. Payments under this €100 million scheme will be made from March to July this year to mitigate increased fuel costs. Approximately 120,000 farmers and 1,500 full-time agricultural contractors are eligible, with funding based on last year's fuel usage.
The Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS) will assist licensed road haulage and passenger operators, including TFI Local Link services, school transport, and island transport services. The Department estimates eligibility for 25,700 licensed haulage vehicles, 12,400 other haulage vehicles, and 11,900 licensed passenger vehicles.
Both schemes received government approval following protests by farmers and hauliers earlier this month, which had significantly disrupted the country.