Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

Yes it is, in a number of different ways. Last year, we provided grants to a number of companies through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Celtic Linen in County Wexford, for example, was given a grant for a ten-tonne electric vehicle, to be used to transport linen. We have working examples of how this system works - how charging happens, for example. We are doing it and we are supporting it. As I understand it, the ESB is seeking to purchase a fleet of vehicles for its own use to help it to learn by doing. I will continue to recommend to An Post, Bord Gáis and a range of other companies that they should look at alternative transport solutions in their own fleets. If we build a volume of vehicles to make it happen, we can test how it is happening and sell that expertise to the rest of the world.

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