Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

On the two questions, first, our intention is to bring in a number of different motor car companies to provide vehicles for this market as it evolves. I believe further agreements will be signed with other companies. I had a meeting with Mitsubishi recently and it seemed to me that we are close to signing an agreement with that company, among others. The real success we have had is getting some of these leading companies to come here because, to be honest, there is a limited number of vehicles available in the world. Our objective was to try to get some of them to develop the activity here first and the economic benefits that come with that in terms of the spin-off industries that will develop the charging points, the software systems, the payment systems and the management systems that will be needed to make this work. We are open to dealing with other companies. We have always made this a neutral development in that all car companies are welcome as long as the technology is compatible.

The issue is the same on the grid. We are not looking to restrict other companies in terms of developing charge point infrastructure. It has to be a common design, however. One action that is happening, and in fairness to ESB it has been leading it, is in regard to Eurelectric. We are looking to get agreement across Europe, and in other parts of the world, on a common type charging infrastructure to ensure the cars come with a standard recharging mechanism. One of the reasons for doing that is that it is non-restrictive. It is not creating a monopoly. It is opening up the market to other companies to provide similar infrastructure.

See this speech in context