Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of where we are going with electric cars. The question of how we can deliver an electric car programme that can work within our economic means is a key issue for our society. We need to promote electric cars as much as possible. The benefits are well known in terms of the carbon footprint but also in terms of their cost. There have been major changes regarding how long an electric car will last on a motorway in terms of kilometres. It could be the key driver in our economy in terms of reducing our carbon footprint. I have seen initiatives such as Drive4Zero in Cork, which gave electric cars free parking and free access to bus lanes. We need to roll this out nationally. We need a national drive to make sure people can move over to electric cars for the benefit of society. Could the Leader ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come to the Chamber so we can discuss this issue and put together a plan for the next decade, as every other country in Europe has, so we can ensure we can move from the petrol and diesel regime to an electric car regime?