Applicants to the Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS) will receive an additional payment covering September and October without having to submit a fresh application, the Department of Transport has confirmed.
The Government approved the extension on Tuesday, 13 October. Payments will be issued using information already supplied by applicants, while the scheme will remain closed to new applications.
The Department has also confirmed that a separate appeals process will be introduced for operators refused support for some or all of their vehicles.
A Department of Transport spokesperson told HGVIreland.com: “Government approved an extension to the Road Transporters Support Scheme on Tuesday 13 October. The extension will allow applicants to receive an additional payment for the months of September and October. Applicants do not need to submit another application; the Department will issue payments directly to applicants based on the information provided previously. The Scheme will not reopen for new applications. A separate appeals process will be launched for operators that submitted an application but were refused support for some or all of their vehicles. The Department will write to those applicants in the coming days with details of how to submit an appeal. The Department is also working with trade representative bodies to facilitate online information sessions to assist their members with the appeals process.”
No fresh application required
The confirmation provides clarity for operators awaiting instructions on how the extension will be administered. Existing applicants do not need to complete another application to access the additional payment.
However, the statement does not specify when payments will reach operators or set out the payment rates for the two additional months. A payment timetable remains an important outstanding detail for businesses planning their cash flow.
The extension also does not provide a new opportunity for operators who did not previously apply, as the Department has explicitly ruled out reopening the scheme.
Appeals guidance to follow
For operators whose applications were refused in full or in part, the next step will be correspondence from the Department explaining how to appeal.
The planned process will cover applicants refused support for some or all of their vehicles. The statement does not yet set out an appeals deadline, the supporting documentation required or how quickly decisions will be made.
Online information sessions, being organised with trade representative bodies, are intended to help members navigate that process.
Operators affected by refusals should watch for the Department’s correspondence, which will provide the instructions needed to submit an appeal.
