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Posted on the 9th January 2025 in PHTM News
IRISH CABBIES FRUSTRATED AS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY GRANT APPLICATIONS CLOSE WITHIN MINUTES
The National Transport Authority (NTA) is facing criticism after the first round of its Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant Scheme for taxi drivers closed within just 15 minutes of opening.
The scheme, which offers up to €15,000 towards the purchase of wheelchair-accessible vehicles, saw an overwhelming response, with around 2,000 applications received before the system was closed.
This prompted Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín to call for an immediate review of the NTA’s technical systems.
“For all the grants to be allocated in just fifteen minutes is crazy,” Tóibín said. “This means the current grant is incredibly limited and difficult to secure, currently only available to a tiny cohort of applicants.”
Tóibín recounted the experience of one taxi driver who was online at 10am when the application window opened but was “locked out by 10:15am.”
This leaves many drivers facing a six-month wait until the next application round in July, with no guarantee of success.
“The Government has asked the taxi industry to ensure more of its vehicles are accessible for people with disabilities, and this is a fair request,” Tóibín stated. “But it seems bizarre that when drivers then try to draw down a grant to help them buy accessible vehicles, the grants are all gone.”
The NTA acknowledged a “large number of applicants” over-whelmed the system, leading to a temporary slowdown.
However, they also pointed out that many new taxi licences for WAVs are issued without grant assistance.
This incident highlights the signi-ficant demand for wheelchair- accessible taxis and the challenges faced by drivers in accessing financial support to meet this growing need.
The NTA is now tasked with reviewing its application process to ensure a more equitable and efficient distribution of these grants.
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