Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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94. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to make electric vehicles more accessible to rural motorists. [9453/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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The Government has ambitious targets when it comes to electric vehicles. Approximately 195,000 are supposed to be on the road by the end of 2025, growing to 845,000 by 2030. There is nothing wrong with that but with only 80,000 electric vehicles currently on the road, reaching these targets at the current rate of progress is a practical impossibility. If we do not meet the 2030 targets, the taxpayer could be footing a bill of up to €26 billion, according to the report today from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and the Climate Change Advisory Council.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of that. I am also aware the Deputy's party has opposed every action we have taken in respect of climate, whether through our climate budgets or the climate action plan. That is a policy position it has, but I think we all understand the need for us to reduce emissions to improve how people travel. The Deputy's question relates specifically to electric vehicles and making them more accessible to rural motorists, something with which I agree. Rural motorists are often in an advantageous position to switch to using an electric vehicle due to the large number of dwellings in rural Ireland that are suitable for EV charging. We have had issues, as the Deputy will know, in multi-unit developments with the provision of charging points, which needs to be looked at, but home charging means lower running costs and many EVs are now capable of reaching more than 400 km in a single charge, which will meet most people's daily driving needs. The public charging network has grown in recent years and the new programme for Government includes further significant expansion and modernisation of the EV charging network in order that drivers can use EVs with confidence and certainty.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, is leading on the delivery of charging infrastructure along our motorways and national primary and secondary routes. We have launched three grant aid programmes for the delivery of significant, high-powered charging infrastructure on these roads. These are all for delivery in the next 12 months. Last week, I announced a third scheme that is focused on installing high-powered recharging stations along 3,000 km of national primary and secondary roads. This will ensure EV drivers have reliable access to charging points throughout the country.

Furthermore, of significant relevance to rural motorists is the regional and local EV network plan. I will publish the final version of this plan, following extensive consultation and engagement with local authorities, in the coming weeks. The plan describes how local authorities will facilitate the provision of local charging networks.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister. As he said, the question related to making electric vehicles more accessible for rural motorists. He mentioned the 400 km figure, but that confidence is not shared by people who are selling electric vehicles in Kerry, who are not confident that motorists will be able to drive all the way to Dublin, for example, in an electric vehicle. The EV schemes seem to remain the preserve of affluent, urban households. Progress will continue to stagnate, and this is another example in a long line of regressive measures pursued by the Government. Research has shown that EVs used in rural Ireland have a bigger climate impact in that they remove 35% more emissions compared with their urban counterparts, but it is less affordable for rural households to own and operate an EV. Many people in rural areas are locked into car ownership and even though there have been improvements in BusConnects and rural transport schemes, there is still a severe lack of public transport. Will the Minister consider more targeted measures aimed at supporting rural drivers to transition away from fossil fuels, and will he consider extending the grant to second-hand EVs, as recommended in the report published this morning?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As I was saying, the regional and local EV network plan is very important. Departmental officials have been engaging actively with local authorities to develop their own regional charging plans. We are now looking at ranges averaging 400 km, which will cover most daily driving. Most EV charging happens at home. Nevertheless, I agree that we need to improve the EV charging infrastructure throughout the country, and this strategy will focus in particular on our regional areas. I can also confirm that in line with the programme for Government, a new EV infrastructure strategy will be developed this year, covering 2026 onwards. A key consideration in that will be addressing the specific EV challenges of rural communities, which I acknowledge.

Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, ZEVI, offers a generous suite of financial supports to drivers for the transition to electric vehicles, including a purchase grant for battery electric vehicles, a home charger purchase grant, vehicle registration tax, VRT, relief of up to €5,000 and a low rate of annual motor tax.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I am glad the Minister accepts that the works done to date are unacceptable and inadequate. The Government has slashed the EV grant and repeatedly failed to make it available for second-hand vehicles. Will the Minister consider re-establishing that or improving the grant for the purchase of second-hand vehicles? The Government wants just under 1 million electric vehicles to be on the road by 2030, or 30% of all registered vehicles, but that is unlikely to happen given the lack of progress to date. People are getting the raw end of the deal, as is borne out in the charging infrastructure.

The figures do not lie. Under EU legislation, Ireland is required to have 6,210 publicly available charging points but, as the Minister said, we are a way off this and that more needs to be done. Some rural counties are charging deserts, and without the appropriate infrastructure in place, it is easy to see why people will be reluctant transition away from petrol and diesel. What is the Government doing to ensure a regionally balanced roll-out of the charging infrastructure?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I have just told the Deputy what we are doing, and I did not say that what has happened up to now is unacceptable. I said we need to do more. Anyone will understand that when you are bringing in new infrastructure such as this, you are not going to do it in a year. That is obvious. You have a plan but you also have to know how to pay for it, and I have highlighted the contradiction in the stance of the Deputy's party in respect of investing in areas such as this. It opposed carbon tax. We want to increase grants-----

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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Carbon tax is unfair.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I will leave that as it is. People will make up their own minds about it.

Let us look at the facts. In 2020, the number of available charging points was about 1,700. It was 2,400 as of January 2024, and that will increase further this year, although I do not yet have those numbers. I am very serious about improving the infrastructure throughout the country. We will do that and we are concluding the consultation with the local authorities to identify where. We are serious about doing it and we will do it.