Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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560. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if companies will be permitted to reclaim VAT on petrol and or diesel to facilitate the purchase of hybrid and plug in hybrid cars. [42868/17]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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562. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce free car parking, free toll and the use of certain bus lanes for electric car users. [42870/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 562 together.

Tax policy and the availability of tax incentives are a matter for the Minister for Finance in the first instance. 

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.  

Working Group 1 of the LEV Taskforce, which is chaired by my Department, includes the examination of existing and potential fiscal support measures; developing business related incentives such as the accelerated capital allowance scheme and BIK scheme; as well as the consideration of other incentives including free parking and free tolls for EV drivers.  

Interim findings and recommendations of the LEV Taskforce relating to Electric Vehicles have been considered in the context of the 2018 budgetary and estimates processes.

In relation to the potential use of bus lanes by EVs, many cases have been made over the years for extending access to the bus lanes to various classes of traffic.  These have been rejected as allowing additional categories of traffic to use the lanes would undermine their efficiency for their given purpose, which is to facilitate bus transport and provide a better quality public transport service, which in turn plays an important role in our overall emissions reduction.