Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide up-to-date information on the roll-out of electric vehicle charge points around the country; if the target of 1,500 working charge points by the end of 2011 is on course to be met; if he will provide the number of domestic charge points installed in private households by the ESB in the past 12 months; the number of fast-charge points which have been installed nationwide to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37381/11]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 324: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide figures on the number of grants fully processed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland under the electric vehicle grant scheme to date; the number of such grants currently being processed by the SEAI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37382/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together.

The ESB has, to date, installed 160 home charge points and 132 public charge points, 9 of which are fast chargers. Its target is to have 201 public charge points, of which 14 will be fast charge points, rolled out by the end of 2011. The overall target of 1,500 public charge points related to progress on sales of electric vehicles, where take-up has been very low This is partially due to the later than expected arrival into the Irish market of some domestic models and some light commercial vehicle models, which will now be in the Irish market from 2012.

The location of the public infrastructure points has been planned to give a nationwide coverage, particularly alongside the main road networks. Full locations of all the charging points are available on the ESB website. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has so far provided grants for 46 Battery Electric Vehicles. It currently has no grant applications on hand. SEAI expects the number of applications to increase in quarter 1 of 2012 as this is the traditional new car purchasing period. Demand will also be affected by the availability of new additional models on the Irish market. Decisions in relation to the allocation for the electric vehicle grant scheme for 2012 will be made in the context of decisions on the breakdown of my Department's overall capital allocation for 2012.