Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the additional measures he is implementing and considering to support the roll-out of electric vehicles across the country. [30174/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The Government is committed to facilitating an increased uptake of electric vehicles (EVs).  As the Deputy is aware, my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, have jointly convened an interdepartmental Low-Emitting Vehicels (LEV) Task Force to consider a full suite of potential measures to expedite the deployment of low carbon technologies, particularly EVs, under a commitment outlined in the "Programme for a Partnership Government".  The wide ranging work of the Taskforce has been divided between three working groups addressing: Market Growth Stimuli and Visibility; Infrastructure, Energy Regulation and Pricing; and Planning Legislation, Building Regulations and Public Leadership.

Some potential policy instruments being analysed by the Taskforce include: reduced charges or exemptions on toll roads for EVs; availability and focus of benefit-in-kind relief; EV public parking charges; current public procurement policy; and the effectiveness of the current incentives in place. The Taskforce is also considering the role of taxation in the accelerated deployment of low emission vehicles.

An opportunity will be provided in July for industry and user stakeholders to contribute their perspectives to the deliberations of the Task Force and further wider consultations will be also be undertaken later this year.

In addition, actions to support a transition to LEVs were included in the National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport: 2017-2030, which I published recently.  The Framework aims to remove barriers to the uptake of LEVs by addressing such infrastructure requirements as EV charging points. The Framework sets an ambitious target that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero emissions (or zero emissions capable), reducing our dependence on the use of conventional fossil fuels for transport.  Ireland has in place one of the more comprehensive charging networks in Europe, with nearly 900 charge points currently available for EV drivers.