Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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211. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the advice given by the National Transport Authority to his Department or other Departments on the issue of taxi drivers and the impact of Covid-19 on their work practices and income and their need to return to work; and the date the advice was received. [25160/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Since March of this year, the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority (NTA), the statutory regulator have been in constant communication, working together and in conjunction with other Government Departments in relation to the impact of COVID-19 on public transport, including the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry. This collaboration has sought to support the industry and to ensure that SPSV operators can avail of the range of COVID-19 financial support measures to the greatest extent possible.

Among the measures available to support SPSV operators are the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the Enterprise Support Grant, which is available to assist eligible self-employed recipients who come off the Pandemic Unemployment Payment with a once-off grant of up to €1,000. This grant can be used towards the costs associated with reopening a business, including the purchase of cleaning materials and personal protective equipment.

Self-employed SPSV operators, who were profitable in 2019 but not in 2020 due to COVID-19, may be able to avail of an income tax relief allowing for up to €25,000 of losses from this year to be offset against profits from 2019. They can also avail of liquidity and investment measures such as the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme and the COVID-19 Business Loans Scheme, both of which fall within the aegis of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.