Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

545. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the efficacy of the electric vehicle grant scheme; his views on the uptake levels of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45313/14]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

546. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the success of the electric vehicle grant scheme; his views on the low uptake of scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45316/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 546 together.

The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the use of sustainable biofuels with electric vehicles also making a smaller contribution.

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, grant support has been provided for the purchase of 551 new vehicles of which 269 were grant aided in 2014. The grant scheme, subject to finalisation of the budgetary arrangements, will continue into next year.

The extent to which EVs are adopted in the short-to-medium term will depend on a range of factors including,inter alia, the strength of the economy, the overall numbers of new cars being purchased, the cost of purchasing and running electric vehicles compared to fossil fuel comparators, and the number of different electric vehicle models available to purchase. Overall within the EU, demand for EVs has been lower than originally anticipated.