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quarters of licensed operators. That helped keep doors open and kept people in work at a vulnerable moment. We also have the diesel rebate scheme. Above €1.43 per litre, hauliers can receive up to 7.5 cent per litre back. However, only 45% of operators claim it. That tells … second step is to design climate measures in a way that helps rather than penalises smaller operators. We should make sure the diesel rebate scheme is fully taken up and ensure alternative fuel grants are sized so that small, family-run hauliers can access them, not just

real jobs and real communities at risk. Government has taken steps, such as the €18 million licensed haulage support scheme and the diesel rebate scheme, and these have helped to some degree, but they are temporary, limited in scope and often underutilised. For example, only 45% of eligible … operators claimed the diesel rebate last year. We have to ask why. It is because this process is complex and small operators simply do not have the administrative capacity to navigate it. This is not just about cost but about competitiveness. When haulage costs rise, Irish SMEs lose

fuel. The rising costs associated with these essential elements of our transport infrastructure are unsustainable. In 2022 and 2023, two temporary haulage support schemes were initiated by the Department of Transport, which provided much-needed financial relief to the sector. In those two years alone, €15.6 million … many operators still face significant challenges. Fortunately, diesel prices have receded from the peaks witnessed in the latter half of 2022. The diesel rebate scheme in place since 2013 is available for licensed haulage operators with vehicles over 7.5 tonnes. With diesel prices over €1.43 per litre, including

forward to hearing the outcomes of this important work. In regard to the ongoing reliance on diesel, I remind Deputies that the diesel rebate scheme, DRS, has been in place since 2013 and remains available to licensed haulage operators in respect of vehicles over 7.5 tonnes. At diesel … prices over €1.43, including VAT, a maximum rebate of 7.5 cent per litre is provided. While not all haulage operators qualify for the scheme, it should be noted that the total number of DRS claimants in 2023 represented only 46% of the total number of eligible road haulage