Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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221. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to extend the wheelchair accessible vehicle taxi grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33334/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the administration of the wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) grant, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV industry.

In order to deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to extend the wheelchair accessible vehicle taxi grant scheme, the NTA has informed me that a number of updates to the 2025 WAV Grant Scheme were introduced to support applicants. These included setting two application periods, with the second round for applications due to open in July 2025; limiting the applications that a single party can make from 10 to 5, and extending the time limit for grant offers to successful applicants, from 3 months to 5 months, to allow more time for completion of the grant process.

Given the NTA's responsibilities in this area, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you have not received a reply within 10 working days