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

It is complicated and we must be careful not to create further inequality if the cars coming in are only for the very wealthy, for example. There is a wider global supply chain issue and the car supply process is currently broken for a variety of reasons, including the war in Ukraine and other factors. We are not seeing the usual delivery of either electric or other vehicles. In that context, the market for second-hand cars has experienced a sharp increase in prices. We must be sensitive and careful in looking at what is happening. We can look at the UK and Brexit matters but the better approach was suggested by the Deputy, which is getting the State involved. An Post is an example. It did not have a small intervention but rather it had a massive change in its fleet, creating a body of light cargo vehicles or vans that could then be moved to the second-hand market. That is a better approach because the State would get a benefit and the second-hand market would also develop. That would fall to the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, but it is the best way to develop that kind of second-hand market.

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