Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

A representative of the ESB said at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Climate Action last month that the direct State investment which is needed should not just happen through the climate fund.

Reference was made to €25 million for fast-charging stations which could be located on State property, in State car parks in schools, Garda stations and public offices. Why was there nothing in the budget yesterday for this? If we are serious about the scale of transition, we should have allocated €25 million yesterday to public charging infrastructure. There was nothing in the budget for that and people do not believe the Government when it says it is ambitious because effectively, it is doing nothing. It is leaving it to the market and waiting for the car companies to do something. It is time for the State to do something. Why did the Minister not get money yesterday for electric vehicle, EV, charging points rather than relying on the climate action fund to build same?

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