Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Nolan. She asked if I would consider banning conventionally fuelled new cars. The EU internal Single Market rules do not currently permit legislative bans on vehicle types from other member states. Roadworthiness testing - the NCT - is a harmonised EU wide system. Member states must mutually recognise certificates of roadworthiness issued by other member states, including for conventionally fuelled vehicles. That said, there is strong system-wide support for accelerating the decarbonisation of the national car fleet and reducing poor air quality arising from the operation of fossil-fuelled vehicles in Irish cities.

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, and I, along with six other EU Ministers, wrote to the EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans calling for stronger Union-led action in support of the transition to zero emission passenger cars, including a call for legal clarity on banning higher emitting vehicles. If, in time, we adopt any regulatory ban that requires Irish car buyers to purchase only certain technologies, we must remain mindful that these vehicles continue to suit their requirements. I have worked at EU level to pressurise for revising the targets upwards, but at present we can only reiterate that it is necessary to meet our EU targets, and we are committed to trying to achieve that.

See this speech in context