Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In order to make EVs, we must mine more material than we have ever mined before.

What also comes into account with EVs is that they could not recycle the batteries of old EVs. Then they came out with new technology to upgrade the older cars with the newer batteries but the wiring loom would not take. The wiring loom in the car had to be changed to take the newer battery because the power of the newer battery would set fire to the older EV. These are the EVs they came out with first. I am not against EVs; I am for EVs in their place but they are not fitting into my place and they are not viable for the likes of me or a lot of people around this country because they cannot afford them.

Common sense has to come into this debate. EVs are ideal around the town setting where people are doing low mileage. In the cities like Dublin, people should have EVs because of the number of cars there are here. We should ask people in Dublin if they can afford EVs. They cannot afford them. There are 1.2 million people in Dublin and if we go out and do a survey, we can ask them if they can afford EVs. I asked earlier on how many people in the Cabinet and how many Deputies on the Government benches have made the change to EVs. I did not hear much of a noise coming from the Cabinet. I see other Deputies here today and they did not make the change either and they are the ones who have been roaring from the rooftops about green energy.

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