Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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467. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 545 of 25 November 2014, his plans to increase the uptake of the electric vehicle grant scheme to help meet our carbon emission targets for 2020. [47299/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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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.

There are already a number of supports in place for the deployment of electric vehicles. The Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme, subject to finalisation of the budgetary arrangements, will continue next year as will the VRT relief for electric vehicles. Additionally, the ESB is continuing to roll out both publicly accessible charging infrastructure and domestic charge points.

Interest in electric vehicles is growing and in 2014 there was a significant increase in electric vehicle purchases through the grant scheme compared to previous years. Of the 558 vehicles grant aided since the scheme commenced in 2011, 276 were grant aided in 2014 alone and demand is expected to continue to grow in 2015. Furthermore, it is expected that the biggest technological developments in the sector will take place in battery and vehicle design and this will continue to address concerns regarding the battery range of electric vehicles.