Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I hope the report is evidence that what the Minister said in response to our last exchange, namely, that my party was in some way after short-term political gain in the energy sector, is nonsense. We strongly support a very aggressive and ambitious roll-out of electric vehicles. I ask the Minster to accept that what he said in a heated exchange a few minutes ago was nonsense. He can ensure cheaper electricity while at the same time as pursuing an aggressive climate change agenda, a point he does not seem to accept.

This is an all-party report. Does the Minister accept the committee's conclusion that we should be talking to those involved in Northern Ireland, in particular the Northern Ireland Assembly, to try to pursue an all-island project for electric vehicles? The situation will be very difficult in Border counties if we do not do this, particularly if there are hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles and a proper charging infrastructure south of the Border but none north of the Border.

Will the Minister ensure those responsible for providing the tens of thousands of charging points which will be required in Ireland to facilitate electric vehicles on a grand scale, not just pet projects in different parts of the country, will ensure an open tendering process that will allow all companies which wish to tender for this business to do so? Perhaps the ESB will win the tender competition because it has the capacity to do so - who knows? However, we should not create a monopoly by stating the ESB should roll out this infrastructure. We should open it up to public tender to ensure other companies also will have an opportunity to put the infrastructure in place.

Will the Minister outline the membership of the task force, including the representatives of private industry?

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