Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the recently published annual review of the transport sector by the Climate Change Advisory Council, CCAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34494/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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Is the Minister aware that the CCAC's recently published annual review of the transport sector is clear that the Government is failing when it comes to a just transition? There are serious problems in the transport sector because it is Ireland's biggest source of energy demand. Last year, transport emissions reduced by only a tiny 1.3%.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his question. I welcome the publication of the Climate Change Advisory Council's annual sectoral review of the transport sector. I recently met with the council and, separately, with its chair, Marie Donnelly. We had a very constructive discussion. My Department and I will be reviewing this report and its recommendations. I certainly will take them into account as we update our approach to next iteration of the climate action plan later this year, which will be its 26th iteration.

The annual report from the CCAC is a critical input into our policy approach. While there has been an unprecedented level of investment in sustainable transport and electric vehicle, EV, supports over recent years, I fully agree with the council's assessment that we are not yet achieving the pace of change required to achieve our 2030 climate objectives. The report acknowledges that, despite challenges, good progress has been made, particularly in the increased usage and expansion of public transport services, which we debated last week, with broad acknowledgement across the House of progress made. That progress has benefited from the Government's support for reduced public transport fees, which we will further expand later this year by way of free transport for five- to eight-year-olds.

We are confident we will achieve our electric vehicle, EV, targets for 2025, with 177,000 EVs on the road at this point of the year and a continued rebound in EV sales. Public transport passenger numbers are now at record levels, registering more than 1 million journeys daily. Our renewable fuel blending ambitions are on target as well, with a growing number of private sector entities ramping up their use of low-carbon fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, HVO, and compressed natural gas, CNG.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I do not agree with the Minister's claim about all the progress being made. In fact, progress is stalling and any gains that have been made are quickly being overtaken because the plan is not delivering. We definitely will miss the target of having 1 million EVs on Irish roads by the end of the decade. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has said we will probably miss it by up to 300,000. Sales of new EVs have fallen by 24% and there was an 8.1% decline in used imports.

We are also falling way behind in the roll-out of the charging infrastructure, with a deficit in rural areas in particular. At the end of 2024, there were 2,802 publicly accessible charging points. That is seven per 10,000 people, compared with 13 per 10,000 in Britain. As with retrofitting, it is only those with significant means who can afford to participate in the grant scheme. There is a serious problem in that EVs are more accessible for middle-class people than for working-class people.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I said last week that I am reviewing the EV grants. We have made significant progress. The Deputy referred to the reduction in growth in that sector last year but he did not mention that quarter 1 of this year saw a significant rebound in EV sales and registrations. Today, I brought to Government a policy on renewable fuels for transport, which sets out the ambition in this regard. It takes into account the sustainability issues the CCAC has, rightly, highlighted.

No one is denying, in any way, shape or form, the challenges ahead in meeting our very exacting targets. However, if we look at where we have come from in regard to EVs, electrification of the public transport fleet and alternative fuel use by the heavy goods vehicle, HGV, sector and by the bus fleet across the country, progress has undoubtedly been made. I respect the work of the CCAC, which is why I met its members in plenary session. The chair was there and I met her separately as well. I value the council's input and it will inform any policy changes we make into the future.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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Does the Minister accept there is a problem with accessibility and affordability in rural areas and less well-off areas? Will he make any provision in the next budget to broaden the grant scheme to make it more accessible and affordable and, perhaps, as the CCAC suggested, extend it to second-hand EVs in order that people who have less money can afford to purchase one?

The EPA's assessment of ports indicates our ports are way behind and that much more must be done to deal with more frequent storms, floods and coastal erosion, particularly on the east coast. What steps are being taken to make ports more resilient to the storms and weather events we will see in future?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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We are trying to cover a lot in a short time. We will have a chance to go through a lot of these points in more detail at the transport committee, which is meeting tomorrow, and at the environment committee.

Regarding EV charging, under the motorway infrastructure scheme, 131 additional high-powered charging points across 17 different locations on the motorway network will be delivered by the end of this year. There is also a scheme to fund high-powered charging on national primary routes, with 175 high-powered charging points to be provided at 53 different locations. The infrastructure is certainly increasing and will increase further.

The Deputy referred to issues with accessibility to EVs in respect of income and in areas that do not have as much public transport as others. I am looking at options, as I said here last week, for how I can reframe the grants. That will potentially require Government approval. I am also looking at options regarding second-hand EVs, which I will bring forward later this year. I will be happy to share those proposals with the transport committee once they are approved.