Government announces €18m licensed haulage support scheme

James Cox

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Jack Chambers, Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport and Logistics, have announced that the Licensed Haulage Support Scheme 2023 is now open for applications.

The Government approved the €18 million scheme earlier this year to support licensed haulage businesses with cost pressures.

The scheme is being administered by the Department of Transport and covers eligible heavy goods vehicles authorised on the licence of a current road haulage operator. The Department has contacted operators on the national register of road haulage operators to invite them to apply to the scheme.

Minister Ryan said: “This is an important support for the licensed haulage sector which is key in supporting Ireland’s international supply chains. A similar scheme was run in Spring 2022, on an emergency basis, to support the liquidity of haulage business who faced a sudden unprecedented spike in fuel prices associated with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

"This new scheme is a measure to again support the liquidity of small businesses with increased costs - most licensed haulage businesses are small operators working to tight margins and sometimes with limited bargaining power to negotiate better rates from larger client companies.”

Minister Chambers said: “The Scheme is designed in such a way to target higher levels of proportional support at smaller operators that have faced increased operating and fuel costs. This targeted approach will help to ensure the liquidity of those smaller businesses, who may be less likely to be able to pass on price increases to their customers.”