Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We can deal with the questions in a substantive manner then. My point relates to the figures we have seen on the targets for electrification of passenger cars.

Obviously, there is a broader debate about our climate action obligations and that is all well and good, but the Committee of Public Accounts will have to have a view over a period, including with a review of this in the form of a report at some stage with regard to the value for money of this aspect. There is a suggestion that, between 2025 and 2030, 670,000 electric cars will be sold, a key plank of our climate action targets. That suggests that 134,000 cars will be sold on average every year. Given the total number of all cars sold in 2019 was 117,000, there are questions as to whether that will be possible.

Even if it is possible - I return to the issue of value for money - the information we have on where electric vehicles are being purchased suggests they are being purchased predominantly in areas that are well serviced by public transport. There are up to 46,000 electric vehicles on our roads and 21,000 of them are based in Dublin. If that trend continues, we will be subsidising the provision of new cars in areas where there is adequate public transport - I am not saying that cannot be improved; of course it can - to the detriment of areas in more rural-based counties that have virtually no public transport. Over the coming months, this committee will have to have a view on the value for money, where money is being expended and whether it is delivering for the taxpayer, as well as whether it is helping us to achieve our climate action obligations, something other committees will deal with the specifics of.