Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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483. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether current 2020 EV uptake targets are achievable in meeting climate change challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40903/16]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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489. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding meeting electronic vehicle targets for 2020 in view of climate change policy; the number of such vehicles which would have to be purchased between now and 2020 to attain these targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40910/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 and 489 together.

Ireland's third National Energy Efficiency Action Plan to 2020, published in 2014, estimated that approximately 50,000 electric vehicles (EVs) could form part of the transport fleet in 2020.  

Apart from general macroeconomic considerations, technology advancement, affordability and consumer choice are the most important levers in triggering consumers to move from petrol and diesel to electric vehicles.  Notwithstanding substantial exchequer support available for new electric vehicles, the reality of a halving of the price of oil and the pace of technology improvement has very significantly impacted electric vehicle market penetration.

Nevertheless we have seen increasing numbers of EVs registered in Ireland particularly in the last two years. More vehicles were grant aided in 2015 under the Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme, which provides grants towards the purchase of new EVs, than in the previous four years of the scheme combined.  The figure of 555 EVs supported in 2015 has already been surpassed this year with 615 vehicles grant aided to date in 2016.

In 2015, transport represented the largest sectoral share of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at 37% of the overall Energy-related total with private cars accounting for 43% of this figure.  I believe that EVs, along with the increased deployment of biofuels, have a vital part to play in reducing GHG emissions in the transport sector.  The Electric Vehicles Grant Scheme, which will continue in 2017, provides grant aid of up to €5,000 towards the purchase of a new EV.

These grants are in addition to the VRT reliefs of up to €5,000 that also apply to EVs. Budget 2017 extended  VRT reliefs on Battery Electric Vehicles for a further 5 year period and on Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicles for 2 years.

Additionally, in accordance with the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have established and are Co-Chairing a Low Emissions Vehicles Task Force involving relevant Government Departments and agencies. A key task will be to examine as a matter of priority what further actions are necessary to further stimulate EV sales and other low emission vehicles to 2020 and beyond.