Ireland has announced a new Road Transporters Support Scheme for haulage and coach operators, adding direct sector support to its wider fuel-relief package as diesel prices remain under pressure. The scheme includes an initial payment backdated for March 2026, with further payments for April and May only if the national average diesel price stays above €1.90 per litre.
According to the Irish government, the scheme will be modelled on the licensed haulage support programmes used in 2022 and 2023 and will apply to qualifying haulage and coach operators. Dublin said the payments will be graduated, with smaller businesses receiving proportionately greater support.
The support is due to remain in place for three months. What operators know for now is that March is covered retrospectively, while April and May support depends on the monthly diesel average breaching the €1.90/litre threshold. The detailed payment bands and application mechanics have not yet been published in the government announcement.
The new scheme comes on top of measures already announced by Dublin in late March. Those included an increase in the Diesel Rebate Scheme from 7.5 cents to up to 12 cents per litre for diesel bought between 1 January and 30 June 2026, as well as a temporary cut in the NORA levy.
Under the latest package, the government is also cutting diesel excise by a further 10 cents per litre including VAT, bringing the total diesel reduction to 32 cents per litre. The reduced excise rate is due to take effect from midnight on 14 April 2026 and stay in place until 31 July 2026.
The move follows several days of fuel protests and blockades involving hauliers, farmers and contractors, which disrupted roads and fuel distribution. Reuters reported that the protests hit oil infrastructure, ports and major roads, while fuel shortages spread to petrol stations across the country.
Earlier, after talks with the Irish Road Haulage Association, the government said haulage plays a central role in keeping goods moving and shelves stocked, while pointing to the first €250 million support package already in place. The new Road Transporters Support Scheme now adds a second, more targeted layer of relief tied directly to diesel-price levels.
