Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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587. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of applications received for the purchase of wheelchair accessible vehicles; the number of grants paid for same in each year since 2014, by county, in tabular form. [7371/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. Accordingly, it is the NTA who administer the wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) grant for the SPSV industry on an annual basis.

I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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588. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify his response to Parliamentary Question No. 438 of 29 November 2017, in which he stated that his Department would be opening the electric SPSV grant scheme in early 2019, despite this measure being announced as part of budget 2018. [7372/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As I indicated to the Deputy in my response to the question referred to of November last, I was delighted to secure funding as part of Budget 2018 to help encourage the transition of our SPSV (Taxi/Hackney/Limousine) sector to electric vehicles. This sector can play a vital role in championing the use of electric vehicles to members of the public and in reducing harmful tailpipe emissions, particularly across our urban areas.

The electric SPSV grant scheme was launched on February 1st and is administered on behalf of my Department by the National Transport Authority (NTA), as was signalled in my response to the Deputy's previous question.

This scheme is available nationwide to all eligible SPSV drivers, and supports both new and second hand electric vehicles. Applications for the grant should be made directly to the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Further details of the electric SPSV grant scheme, including the application form and supporting grant scheme guidance documents are available to download from the NTA website (www.nationaltransport.ie).