Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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201. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to increase the number of electric vehicles here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37500/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme was introduced in April 2011 to incentivise and support, through grants of up to €5,000, the early deployment of electric vehicles in Ireland. These grants are in addition to the VRT reliefs of up to €5,000 which apply to electric vehicles. To date, support has been provided for the purchase of 525 new vehicles of which 243 were grant aided in 2014 to date. The grant scheme will remain open for this year and, subject to finalisation of the budgetary arrangements, continue next year.

Additionally, the ESB, through its ecars programme, is continuing to roll out both publicly accessible charging infrastructure and domestic charge points. My Department understands that 892 public charge-points have now been installed nationally. These include 67 DC fast chargers, most of which have been installed on major roads. Additionally there are 918 domestic/commercial installations in place.