Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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291. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the support he is putting in place for the chauffeur sector, which has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16989/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I recognise that the passenger transport sector has been acutely affected by COVID-19 as public health restrictions have necessarily discouraged people from travelling generally. Small public service vehicle (SPSV) operators have been badly affected due to their dependence on the hospitality and tourism sectors. Limousine operators, who are particularly dependent on overseas tourism and major events, have suffered a near total drop in demand for their services and many have been simply unable to work since the pandemic started in March of last year.

The Government has introduced a wide-ranging programme of supports for businesses like these that are adversely affected by Covid. These supports include wage subsidies, rates waivers, re-start grants, lending facilities, equity injection, and business advisory supports. Many SPSV operators, including limousine drivers, have been able to avail of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment which remains open to new applicants. This payment continues to provide an important safety net to operators, recognising their dependency on other sectors of the economy, notably the hospitality industry.

As mentioned, limousine drivers are particularly dependent on tourism and the 2021 Budget put in place a number of substantial measures to support and strengthen that sector. The total funding for the tourism sector has increased in 2021 by over €59 million or 36% over the initial 2020 allocation in Budget 2020 to €220.9 million. Further details on these measures are available from my colleague, the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin T.D.

Measures to support the SPSV industry have also been taken by the industry’s statutory regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA). These measures include the waiver of vehicle licencing fees for 2021, the waiver of late renewal fees, and the facilitation of insurance suspensions for vehicles in conjunction with the insurance industry.