Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Chairman made a good point in that we lack charging points. They are difficult to find sometimes. There are not enough of them. The ESB has announced impressive plans recently to invest in the fast-charging network and upgrade the on-street parking network. This would be a major boost to electric vehicle acceptance. Fees should be considered only in the context of this step change in the quality and coverage of the charging network. We have got a plan. The ESB has made the plan and there is a real commitment to implementing it.

The local emission vehicle task force was established in 2016 to consider the range of measures and options available to the Government to accelerate the take-up of low-carbon technology in the road transport sector. This has been reasonably successful, but perhaps not successful enough, in terms of the take-up of electric vehicles. It started from a very low base. I have some statistics that might be useful to the Deputy. In 2018, a total of 1,972 new electric vehicles were registered, bringing the total number in Ireland to almost 7,650 by the end of December 2018. This year, 2019, is seeing a continuation in the rise of electric vehicle numbers. In the first two months, 1,128 new battery electric vehicles were registered by comparison with 176 in the same period last year. The way things are moving is pretty staggering. There is a low base, which I admit. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle sales are also increasing, with 472 vehicles registered in January and February compared with 185 last year. There are now almost 9,500 electric vehicles on Irish roads.

I will make a general comment on carbon reduction. It is important to note that while the carbon reduction programme has a vital role to play in transport emissions mitigation efforts, it is only one small element of a far wider range of transport measures being implemented to help to reduce emissions, including a range of incentives to encourage a transition from conventional fuels to lower-emission alternatives, such as electric vehicles; increasing the proportion of biofuels in the mix; improving efficiency standards for vehicles; and the significantly enhanced funding we are making available to support the development of new, improved public and sustainable transport infrastructure.

Deputy Troy raised the delay in the drawing down of funding in 2018. The programme drew down only €697,000 due to a number of factors. It sounds very disappointing, and I suppose it is, but there were production delays that deferred the delivery of nine hybrid buses until 2019. There were procurement delays in facilitating a small-scale pilot programme for alternatively fuelled rural buses. The cost will arise in 2019 instead. It is not because of a lack of commitment but because there were unavoidable delays.

On the issue of public transport, I answered Deputy Troy's question on staff when he was out. The increases associated with the running of the agencies are because we obviously need, because of the national development plan and the expansion of the bodies' roles, greater expertise and more staff. This has increased the costs. We have given more money for that purpose.

I was asked about disability and accessibility. The Deputy is seeking a commitment in this regard. It is always dangerous to make concrete commitments on every last item. Our aim - I do not believe we have let anybody down in this regard - is full accessibility; it is nothing short of that. We still have mountains to climb in terms of some of the buses that are not equipped and other areas where there is not full accessibility. We are making progress, however, and we are making commitments. This committee was very active in this regard. It is pushing many people in the right direction.

There is commitment. The Deputy knows that I put on every transport board an advocate with personal experience of disability. This was not for the sake of it; it actually puts pressure on the bodies to deliver. They seek to deliver what we are promising also. While we are making great strides, we have still a good way to go. I admit that and covered it in my opening speech. There are gaps but our ambition is to fill them as soon as possible. The funding has been committed to.