Ms Laura Behan:

We may be at fault in not having communicated properly the role of the LEV task force, which has been established. I fully recognise that the complexity of the issues and the range of stakeholders involved to drive the market forward and ensure earlier uptake of EVs is such that it needs a clear focus and a clear driver, and some mechanism by means of which all of the disparate interests and mechanisms of the State can be drawn together in order to secure a focus on this issue. We have spent a large amount of time at this meeting discussing matters that come under the remit of our Department and transport issues that come under the remit of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. We have even discussed the issue of parking spaces, which relates to the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in terms of parking spaces. The LEV task force was established in order to bring the three Departments together under one umbrella steering group. Each of the sets of issues is being led by the individual Department, but they are all being drawn together at the highest level. Recommendations will be made by the steering group drawing on the evidence, particularly information gleaned from exchanges with stakeholders that the working groups will bring to that steering group.

The LEV task force plans to arrange its initial stakeholder consultation day in the third week in July. We will issue invitations to all the bodies represented here today to come in and be part of the deliberations about the various barriers that exist and how the State might overcome them. We will consider what kinds of incentives might be used to get impetus behind LEVs that we know is necessary at this point in time given that we feel we are on the cusp of important market developments. Mr. Confrey may wish to add to that.