Written answers

Tuesday, 26 September 2017

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Electric Vehicles

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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461. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are taxation incentives to encourage companies to get their employees to use electric vehicles as company cars as opposed to petrol or diesel vehicles; if not, if incentives are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40214/17]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Tax policy and the availability of incentives are a matter for the Minister for Finance in the first instance. To support the uptake of alternative technologies for Irish businesses, an Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) scheme is intended to stimulate businesses to buy more energy efficient products which include electric vehicles and their associated charging infrastructure. Under this scheme a 100% asset write down is permitted in the year of purchase enabling the full value of the tax relief benefit to be received promptly. SEAI currently administer the eligibility criteria for this scheme.

The Government is very supportive of the transition of the car fleet to zero emissions technology, especially electric vehicles (EVs). The Deputy may be aware that my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, have jointly convened an interdepartmental Low-Emitting Vehicles (LEV) Task Force to consider a full suite of potential measures to expedite the deployment of low carbon technologies 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.

Additional potential policy instruments being considered by the Taskforce include reduced charges or exemptions on toll roads for EVs; availability and focus of company car benefit-in-kind relief; EV public parking charges; the effectiveness of the current incentives in place; and the role of taxation in the accelerated deployment of low emission vehicles.

The Taskforce will also consider potential Government and public body leadership initiatives and opportunities, as means of further demonstrating support for LEV uptake.

An opportunity was 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. Details of the progress of the Taskforce are made available on my Department’s website.

In addition, actions in support of the transition to LEVs were included in the National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport: 2017-2030, which I published in May. 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.

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