Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I support what the Minister is trying to do in terms of making the transition from combustion engine cars to electric transport and mainstreaming that technology, and that mindset, to ensure people realise we can have normal family cars that are comfortable, powerful and safe but which are driven on batteries on the Irish electricity grid rather than by imported fossil fuels. I question the Minister's approach, however, and want to ask him a number of direct questions.

First, why is it the case that even though we have had a memorandum of understanding with Renault-Nissan, and ESB, for many months we do not have a second memorandum of understanding with any other car manufacturers, despite the fact that has been promised for over six months and that almost every car manufacturer on the globe is planning to roll out electric vehicles? Why have we put in place a memorandum of understanding with one of them, Renault-Nissan, but not any others?

The second question is more important. I commend ESB for its involvement in this area but I am concerned that we are creating a monopoly here in what is probably the most exciting industry area that will develop rapidly in the next ten years whereby ESB is the only body providing charging infrastructure, and the technology around that technology, for electric cars. Why is that the case? Would the Minister consider issuing a global tender on behalf of the Government for expressions of interest in providing solutions to put in place an ambitious charging infrastructure to facilitate the complete transition he envisages in the next 20 years? Why has he resisted that approach to try to get the best technology into Ireland?

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