Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien has today (Wednesday, April 29) announced details of a fuel support scheme aimed at hauliers and bus operators.

The €120 million Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS), administered by the Department of Transport, is aimed at licensed and ‘own account’ road haulage operators and licensed road passenger transport operators.

Support for operators of TFI Local Link Services will be available through the National Transport Authority (NTA), while support for school buses will be facilitated by the Department of Education and Youth.

The minister said the scheme provides "significant financial support" to help meet the challenges posed by increased fuel costs arising from the ongoing war in the Middle East.

He said the scheme recognises the essential role of the road transport sector in Ireland's supply chains.

Thee supports follow the wider government package including a reduction in excise rates, the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) levy, and the increased rebate rate allowed under the Diesel Rebate Scheme.

Fuel

The RTSS will initially apply for March 2026, with further payments for April and May depending on average national diesel prices, as measured by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), exceeding €1.90 per litre.

The Department of Transport said that this threshold reflects the point at which fuel costs become unsustainable for many commercial transport operators.

Applications for the scheme can be made through an online portal, which is expected to open in May.

In order to qualify for support under the RTSS, applicants must, on March 1, 2026, be:

A holder of a road haulage operator licence issued by the Department of Transport; or
An operator whose normal commercial activity relates to the carriage of goods by road but who is not required to hold a haulage licence (“own account” operators); or
A holder of a passenger operator licence issued by the Department of Transport.

Payments under the RTSS will be graduated based on the numbers of vehicles on an operator's licence.

The department said the graduated approach means that smaller businesses will be receiving a proportionately greater level of support.

The payment rates are as follow:

Up to and including 5 vehicles per operator: €1,350 per vehicle;
For vehicles 6 to 20 per operator: €790 per vehicle;
For vehicles 21+: €300 per vehicle.

Minister O’Brien said the RTSS "recognises the vital role played every day by hauliers and bus and coach operators in keeping Ireland moving, supporting jobs, and maintaining our essential supply chains".

"It reflects our strong commitment to working closely with the sector to protect capacity and resilience at a critical time," he said.

The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has welcomed the publication of government fuel supports for the sector.

Farmers and contractors

Meanwhile, the government has also unveiled the full details of a separate €100 million fuel support scheme for farmers and contractors and confirmed applications are set to open from next week.

The targeted package, designed to ease the burden of soaring green diesel prices, will cover fuel usage from March through to the end of July and is based on verified consumption from last year.

Farmers, along with farm and forestry contractors, will be eligible for payments of approximately 20 cent per litre - or €200 per 1,000 litres but this is "based on verified fuel usage in 2025".

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon said "the government recognises the exceptional pressure that rising fuel costs are placing on our farmers, farm contractors and fishers".

"My department is ready to open the farmers and farm contractors scheme for applications in early May, subject to the necessary approvals, with payment to issue thereafter," he added.