Leading Donegal bus company leads call for fuel survival package to save businesses

A Donegal bus company is appealing to all Irish bus and coach operators to unite in calling for an immediate fuel survival package.

Recent sharp rises in fuel costs are having a detrimental effect on householders and business. For many bus companies, it is simply unsustainable.

A spokesperson for McGettigan Travel, a highly respected Donegal bus operator, took to social media to highlight the plight and call other similar businesses into action.

“We are all feeling the same burn at the pump,” said the spokesperson. 

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“With diesel hitting €2.17+ and a 9% spike in just a week, our businesses are being pushed to the brink while the Government stays silent.

“We can’t wait for the next Budget. We need a Fuel Survival Package now.

“I am calling on every bus and coach operator to send a formal letter to Minister Darragh O’Brien this week. If we all hit their inboxes at once, they cannot ignore the private sector.”

McGetting Travel outlined the demands of the sector:

• Increase to the Diesel Rebate: The current cap (7.5c) is outdated. We need immediate liquidity to survive the 2026 season and reflect the 2026 prices.
• End the VAT trap on diesel: Currently, because passenger transport is a VAT-exempt activity, coach operators are unable to reclaim the 23% VAT paid on diesel. This puts us at a massive disadvantage compared to the haulage sector. I am calling for a new Ministerial Refund Order to allow licensed passenger transport operators to reclaim VAT on fuel, or for the sector to be moved to a 0% Zero-Rated"status (matching the UK / Northern Ireland model), which would allow for full input VAT recovery.
• Level Playing Field: End the two-tier system: Private operators carry the country. We deserve the same fuel protections as state-run services.

The following letter template has been prepared by McGettigan Travel. Operators are asked to copy and paste the text, add their own company name, email it to inister@transport.gov.ie and cc the opposition 

“Let’s stop complaining in the yard and start shouting in the Dáil,” said the spokesperson. If we don't act now, some of our fleets won't be on the road by June.”

Draft Letter / Email

To: Minister Darragh O'Brien TD 
Department: Department of Transport
Leeson Lane, 
Dublin 2, 
D02 TR60

Email: Minister@transport.gov.ie

Date: [Insert Date]

Subject: Urgent Request for Intervention: Fuel Crisis and Taxation Reform for the Bus and Coach Sector

Dear Minister O'Brien,

I am writing to you as an operator within the private bus and coach sector to formally request immediate government intervention to address the existential threat currently facing our industry.

As you are aware, recent geopolitical instability has resulted in a sharp 9% increase in fuel costs in just one week, with diesel prices now exceeding €2.00 per litre. For many operators, this represents an unbudgeted increase of €15,000-€20,000 in annual expenditure.

Unlike other sectors, we cannot simply "wait out" this volatility; our services - ranging from school transport to vital rural connectivity - are at immediate risk of becoming commercially unviable.

. Increase of the Diesel Rebate Scheme (DRS) Cap: The current rebate is insufficient given the scale of the recent price surge. I request an immediate increase in the rebate cap. This targeted support would provide the necessary liquidity to keep wheels turning through the busy spring and summer tourism season.

To ensure the continuity of these essential services, I am calling for the following three measures:

. Increase the Diesel Rebate Scheme (DRS) Cap. The current rebate is insufficient given the scale of the recent price surge. I request an immediate increase in the rebate cap. This targeted support would provide the necessary liquidity to keep wheels turning through the busy spring and summer tourism season.

. End the VAT "Trap" on Diesel: Currently, because passenger transport is a VAT-exempt activity, coach operators are unable to reclaim the 23% VAT paid on auto-diesel. This puts us at a massive disadvantage

compared to the haulage sector. I am calling for a new Ministerial Refund Order to allow licensed passenger transport operators to reclaim VAT on fuel, or for the sector to be moved to a 0% "Zero-Rated" status (matching  the UK / Northern Ireland model), which would allow for full input VAT recovery.

The private coach sector carries over 75 million passengers annually and operates 95% of the national school transport fleet. 

Without the supports outlined above, fare increases for families and the cancellation of regional routes will become inevitable by late April.

I look forward to your response and hope for a positive engagement on these critical issues.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Company Name]

[Your Contact Number]