Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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133. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the support package which will be put in place for bus and coach operators in rural and regional economies. [14493/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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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. My Department has engaged with the Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland (CTTC) on a regular basis in relation to the impact of Covid-19 on licensed bus operators.

From my Department's engagement with the CTTC, and indeed from the NTA's regular engagement with them throughout the crisis, I understand the very difficult business environment that licensed bus operators are now dealing with. Indeed, across Government we are acutely aware that Covid-19 presents huge challenges for many business sectors.

That is why on 25 June the Government approved temporary funding supports, in accordance with EU and national legislation, for the licensed bus sector. Licensed operators provide essential transport services for people who need to get to work and are vital to ensure economic recovery. The support package is aimed at ensuring the continued operation of essential licensed bus services for a period of up to six months. The measure will be restricted to operators where a clear public interest justification supports such intervention and will be targeted at compensating the gap between specified costs and the revenues generated on the services. The National Transport Authority (NTA), as the public transport licensing agency, will administer the support through the establishment of contracts between the NTA and the relevant operators.

The Government has also introduced a range of supports for impacted businesses generally, including new schemes of wage subsidies, rates waivers, re-start grants, lending facilities, equity injection, and business advisory supports.