Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 58: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has had contacts with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on the planned national electric car roll out programme; the number of businesses which have taken up the option of a 100% write-off on the cost of purchase of electric vehicles against tax under the accelerated capital allowance scheme to date; the commencement date for the public information campaign on electric vehicles; the number of electric vehicles in the national car fleet; the percentage of the national car fleet they comprise; when the ministerial car and public vehicle fleets will be electrified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28410/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I have been in contact with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on the plans for electric cars. In February I launched Smarter Travel, Ireland's new sustainable transport policy. It contains a commitment that electric cars will form 10% of the market by 2020. The most recent figures available to my Department (May 2009) indicate that 0.2% of vehicles (3,758) are a declared fuel-type of hybrid electric cars. This gives some idea of the scale of our ambition to increase this figure significantly.

Since the launch of Smarter Travel my officials have been in regular contact with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to assist in the preparation of a national plan to meet this target. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has the lead responsibility in relation to the matter. The Deputy's specific questions relating to tax write-off and Ministerial vehicles are a matter for the Ministers for Finance and Justice, Equality and Law Reform respectively.