Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

We are seeking memorandums of understanding with other manufacturers because crucially, car availability is the constraint. I fully agree with the Deputy. We should be ambitious in this regard and ahead of the curve as a country. In a sense we should be ahead of the people in providing facilities for them because I believe this will be enormously positive for the country.

We are also looking at memorandums of understanding with other supply system companies, in whatever format, while recognising crucially that in any supply system there has to be open access. It has to be something that different operators can switch in and out of.

I have to check the relationship the working group has with Northern Ireland. I believe we are ahead of the UK in this, in terms of what is being done there, but there is no reason why Northern Ireland and the Republic cannot synergise on this because of the obvious benefits to be derived from an all-island common approach, and I will support that.

This has to be something that also makes sense, economically. We will do whatever we can, in Government, to assist. We have already introduced tax breaks for fleet purchasers - advance capital allowances for anyone purchasing electric vehicles. We have given significant VRT and tax allowances for electric vehicles and people must have real security as regards those measures. There is a range of different measures we can employ in Government, but the Deputies can have my absolute commitment that it makes sense for us, not just on the transport side, but in terms of the back-up benefits that will accrue regarding the development of a smart grid, and as a location where some of the ICT technologies can progress - as well as for service solutions which can then be sold elsewhere.

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