Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not disagree with Deputy Eamon Ryan. The Government has finite resources and we have to use the regulatory tools available to us. That is part of the work of the low-emission vehicle task force. I am frustrated, like Deputy Aindrias Moynihan, by the progress on this and by progress in Government in general. We are making significant progress, however, and once we have the output from the task force, I intend to try to proceed in every way that I can. I did acknowledge in my initial contribution that there is an issue with maintenance. I fully accept that. I also get those complaints and that is great. It is great that I, as a rural Deputy, now get constituents coming to me complaining about the infrastructure not being in place. People are purchasing electric vehicles and making that big move away from diesel. That is significant.

There is an issue in respect of range anxiety in this country and that is slowly being addressed as well. Deputy Rock gave me much grief over not having an EV charging point here in Leinster House. He and Deputy Shortall both have electric vehicles. We will have a charging point installed as part of the ongoing works here. It will be available at Agriculture House for Members of the Oireachtas to charge their cars. I hope that by the time it is put in, many more colleagues will have electric vehicles as well.

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