Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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297. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the supports available from his Department to the taxi industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14523/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Deputy may be aware that the Government has introduced a wide-ranging programme of supports with broad eligibility criteria for individuals and businesses, including individual operators of small public service vehicles (SPSVs), which have been adversely affected by COVID-19.  These supports include wage subsidies, rates waivers, restart grants, lending facilities, equity injection, business advisory supports, and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

In addition to these general supports, my Department is providing funding to the National Transport Authority to enable it to waive annual vehicle licence renewal fees for 2021. Furthermore, it has increased the funding available to the Electric SPSV (eSPSV) grant scheme from €1 million in 2020 to €15 million in 2021.  In recognition of the particular difficulties faced by operators of older vehicles where the vehicle is reaching the end of its useful life, the amount payable under the scheme has doubled to €20,000 for those operators who scrap their older, high mileage vehicle for a new full electric model.