Further targeted fuel supports for Mayo's hard‑hit sectors

Minister of State for Small Business, Alan Dillon, has today welcomed the government’s €505 million fuel support package, highlighting the scale of supports and the real difference they will make to businesses across the country.

“The government has already acted to support households and workers through excise reductions, helping to bring petrol and diesel prices down with reductions of around 10 cent per litre now feeding through and keeping prices in many areas below €1.90,” Minister Dillon said.

“This new package builds on that, with over €500 million in targeted supports for transport operators, farmers, contractors and fishers who are most exposed to rising fuel costs.”

Minister Dillon outlined the scale of direct financial supports:

Road transport operators (RTSS):

Up to €1,350 per vehicle for the first five vehicles.

€790 per vehicle for the next 15 and €300 per vehicle thereafter.

A typical haulier with 17 vehicles could receive over €16,000.

Farmers and contractors:

Approximately 20 cent per litre support on green diesel.

Payments linked to 2025 usage.

Up to €50,000 per business.

Overall funding levels:

Around €40 million per month allocated for transport supports.

Additional targeted funding for school transport, Local Link and island services

Estimated €505 million total package

Diesel rebate increase:

Up to 12 cent per litre refund available in 2026

“These measures are not abstract, they are about keeping businesses on the road, farms operating, and supply chains moving,” Minister Dillon said.

Supports will reach tens of thousands of businesses across transport, agriculture and fisheries

Around 120,000 farmers and 1,500 contractors expected to benefit (scheme estimates)

School transport supports alone help deliver services to over 180,000 children daily

Minister Dillon said the package reflects direct engagement: “We are listening. I meet many business owners and representative bodies regularly in my own office, and they’ve been very clear about the pressure fuel costs are placing on them. These supports are shaped by that engagement.’

‘It is only right that these targeted measures are now delivered, but timing is everything,” he said.

“These supports must be rolled out quickly.

"Businesses need certainty now, not months down the line. If delivered on time, this package will make a real and immediate difference.’

‘This is about backing small businesses and key sectors right across the country. It’s about protecting jobs, supporting rural Ireland, and ensuring that enterprises can continue to operate despite global pressures.

‘This package will make a difference, and we need to make sure it reaches people without delay.”