Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has announced that a request process will open on Monday, 20 July, to allow businesses that were unable to apply for the Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS) due to exceptional circumstances beyond their control to seek permission to submit a late application.

The request portal will open at 12 noon on Monday, 20 July and close at 12 noon on Friday, 25 July. Requests received after the closing date will not be considered.

The original RTSS application window closed on 12 June 2026, with 4,406 applications submitted by licensed road haulage operators, licensed passenger operators and businesses operating in the own-account sector. The Department is continuing to assess those applications, with payments already issuing to successful applicants and further payments to follow as assessments are completed.

Minister Canney said: “The Road Transporters Support Scheme has been an important support for operators across the sector. While the original application process has now closed, I recognise that there may be a small number of businesses that, because of genuinely exceptional circumstances outside their control, were unable to submit an application within the published timeframe.”

To be considered, applicants must be able to demonstrate that:

  • an unforeseen event or circumstance occurred during all or a significant part of the original application period;
  • the event was outside their reasonable control; and
  • the event materially prevented them from submitting an application before the deadline.

All requests must be accompanied by appropriate documentary evidence. Requests submitted without supporting documentation will not be considered.

Exceptional circumstances that may be considered include:

  • serious illness or injury;
  • serious illness, injury or bereavement of an immediate family member;
  • a natural disaster or major emergency event;
  • technical failure of the Road Transporters Support Scheme application system;
  • loss of capacity to apply due to theft, fraud or crime; or
  • other exceptional circumstances, where supported by independent and verifiable evidence.

Full details of the appeals process are available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/campaigns/road-transporters-support-scheme/

Anyone whose request is approved will be contacted directly by the Department with details of how to submit a late application.