Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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219. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider the environmental impact in reducing emissions through the extension of incentives for hybrid vehicles and VRT, capital allowances and SEAI grant incentives for electric vehicles in the upcoming five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28877/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Electric vehicles, including Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) have a number of significant environmental benefits, not least the fact that they have lower or zero tailpipe emissions, and are more efficient in terms of their energy use, when compared with conventional motor vehicles. Since 2011, the Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme has been supporting and incentivising, through grants of up to €5,000, the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) including PHEVs in Ireland. These grants are in addition to tax incentives such as the Vehicle Registration Tax reliefs of up to €5,000 which apply to EVs and Accelerated Capital Allowances (ACA) which allows companies to offset the cost of investment in qualifying technologies including EVs, PHEVs and other hybrid vehicles. The purchase of 1,634 new EVs has been supported since the EV Grant Scheme commenced. Of these, 544 of these have been grant aided this year alone.  The effectiveness of all instruments continues to be kept under review.

In addition, work is underway to establish a task force, as set out in the Programme for Government, involving relevant government departments, agencies, industry and representative groups, to further examine the potential for the take-up of electric and other low emission vehicles.