David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his policy on the use of electric cars and vehicles; the efforts he is making to encourage the use of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46403/08]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the action he is taking to encourage an increase in the number of electric cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4632/09]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the recent proposals for a national rollout of electric cars; when the rollout of charge points and other necessary infrastructure will commence; if he has had contacts with the ESB on this matter; the person who he will appoint to the board of the National Task Force on electric vehicles; when it will be established; when it will have to report to him; the charging point infrastructure that will be necessary for the national rollout of electric vehicles; if a tendering competition for a roll-out of charging infrastructure will be held; if contacts have been established with Denmark, Israel and other leading transport countries on this matter in view of the electric vehicles programmes that these States have already established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46353/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 92 and 113 together.

Major deployment of electric vehicles will have a hugely positive impact in reducing our carbon emissions and our reliance on imported fossil fuels in the transport area. In association with the Minister for Transport, I announced targets last year for the deployment of electric vehicles in Ireland. We have set a target of 10% of all vehicles to be powered by electricity by 2020, which will represent up to 250,000 cars on Irish roads over the next 12 years. A number of initiatives to advance our policy in this area have already been put in place. The Minister for Finance has provided a new tax incentive for businesses to purchase electric vehicles in the 2009 Finance Act. This enables businesses to write off 100% of the cost of purchase against tax under the Accelerated Capital Allowance Scheme. SEI is also developing a €1 million project on alternative transport technologies including electric vehicles.

I have established an inter-departmental agency taskforce to progress the framework for deployment of electric vehicles in Ireland chained by my Department. The first meeting of the taskforce was held in October 2008 and it has met on a number of occasions. All relevant Departments, including the Department of Transport, are members of the taskforce. Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), ESB, the IDA and Enterprise Ireland and other stakeholders and agencies are also represented on the taskforce.

The ESB and SEI have been working intensively within the taskforce and visited Israel and Denmark last year to learn from their approaches to fast tracking the deployment of electric vehicles.

The taskforce is assessing the infrastructure options for the national roll-out of electric vehicles. The Government is sending out the message that Ireland is open for business in this area and we will also take account of global developments as the technologies mature. The taskforce will report its initial findings and advise on next steps in the next few months.

I am determined that the targets we have set in this area will be achieved.