Hauliers have until 6 June 2022 to apply for the government fuel subsidy of EUR 100 a week. Almost 3 000 operators have benefited from the scheme to date. However, approximately 900 licensed lorry drivers should still apply for this temporary support.
Operators driving heavy goods vehicles that weigh more than 3½ tonnes are eligible for this fuel subsidy. Previously, the Irish government reduced excise duty, cutting the price of a litre of diesel and petrol by 15 and 20 cents respectively.
The scheme was launched in March to help hauliers struggling with rising fuel costs. It was set to last eight weeks, at a cost of EUR 18 million.
Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State for Transport, said her department would write to the licensed hauliers yet to apply to participate in the scheme at their registered addresses. The deadline for applications is now 6 June. “The haulage sector has shown incredible resilience throughout the unprecedented challenges presented by Brexit and Covid-19 in recent years, ensuring that the shelves in our supermarkets and pharmacies do not run empty,” she said.