Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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170. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the actions under the Climate Action Plan that are in place to facilitate electric car charging points in areas in which there are no gardens to accommodate them; and the timeline to accommodate persons wanting to move from fossil fuel to electric vehicles. [58490/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government’s policy regarding the increased usage of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is primarily driven by the Climate Action Plan which sets a target of 945,000 EVs by 2030.

Home charging is considered the primary method of charging for the majority of EVs in Ireland and is a convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly means of charging, especially when using night rate electricity. It accounts for circa 80% of EV charging sessions and will continue to be the primary method of charging in the future. The EV Home Charger Grant Scheme has been in operation since January 2018 to support the installation of home chargers for purchasers of new and second-hand BEVs and PHEVs. The grant provides generous support towards the full cost of installation of a home charger up to a maximum of €600.

However, there are houses and dwellings in Ireland where home charging is not an option, due to the lack of driveway or garden. Work is currently being progressed to expand the EV home charger grant to include shared parking in apartment blocks and similar developments. My Department is working closely with the SEAI and expects a scheme for apartments to open in the near future.

The recently published Climate Action Plan 21 includes a number of actions to facilitate the increased provision of EV charging infrastructure, much of which will be targeted at providing charging solutions for those without access to home chargers. These include

- Establish an Office for Low Emitting Vehicles to co-ordinate the implementation of existing and future EV measures and infrastructure

- Develop a national infrastructure strategy to address on-street, location and fastcharging infrastructure needs to stay ahead of demand, having particular regard to non-urban needs

- Enable greater EV infrastructure roll-out for passenger cars and vans

- Launch a Destination Charger Scheme to install publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure

- Amend the Home Charger Grant Scheme to include apartment

A national ambition has been firmly established that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero-emission capable. In addition to the above actions, the Climate Action Plan outlines a pathway to a radical and equitable transformation in Ireland’s transport sector over the next nine years as it moves towards decarbonisation.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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171. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be given to the local authority in County Kerry for the installation of more electric car charging stations in Killarney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58256/21]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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175. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his role in the roll-out of electric vehicle charging points; the action his Department plans to take to ensure that those who intend to purchase an electric vehicle will be facilitated to charge their vehicles with accessible charging points; and if he will mandate the ESB to provide public charge points on residential roads where there are no driveways. [58313/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 175 together.

The Deputies will be aware that the Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network over the coming years. A national charging infrastructure strategy is due for publication early next year which will set out a pathway to stay ahead of demand over the critical period out to 2030.

I am also aware that a report was published by the CCMA on the provision of guidance to local authorities on the provision of charging infrastructure. The document is available for viewing online at www.lgma.ie/en/publications/general-publications/local-authority-electrification-of-fleet-and-ev-charging-guidance.pdf

Preparations are underway to establish an Office of Low Emission Vehicles. This Office will play an important role in our transition to zero emission vehicles. It will co-ordinate measures to support the uptake of EVs and the rollout of charge point infrastructure.

In terms of existing supports for public charging, the Public Charge Point Scheme continues to be available during 2021 to provide local authorities with a grant of up to €5,000 to support the development of on-street public chargers. The primary focus of the scheme is to provide support for the installation of infrastructure which will facilitate owners of electric vehicles, who do not have access to a private parking space, but instead rely on parking their vehicles in public places near their homes to charge their EVs. My Department is reviewing the Scheme at present to ensure that it is as effective as possible in driving the decarbonisation effort. I would be very happy to consider any applications from Kerry County Council under this scheme.

Having an effective and reliable recharging network is essential to enabling drivers to choose electric. Charging at home is the most convenient and cheapest way to recharge. Targeting the installation of smart home chargers is a priority as we look to moving towards more energy efficient and sustainable ways to charge. A grant is available from the SEAI for those individuals seeking to install a home charger. Work is currently being progressed to expand the EV home charger grant to include shared parking in apartment blocks and similar developments. My Department is working closely with the SEAI and expects a scheme for apartments to open in the near future.

There is also a need for a seamless public charging network that will provide for situations or instances where home charging is not possible such as on-street and residential charging, destination charging, and workplace charging.

€10 million was committed from the Climate Action Fund to support ESB investment in the charging network and this has leveraged a further €10 million investment from ESB, with the infrastructure to be in place by the end of 2022. This intervention alone will result in:

- 90 additional high power chargers, each capable of charging two vehicles

- 52 additional fast chargers, which may replace existing standard chargers

- 264 replacement standard chargers with more modern technology and with each consisting of two charge points

Further details on the progression of this project can be found at esb.ie/ecars/our-network/network-upgrades.

My Department is also developing a new scheme which will support the installation of destination charge points in locations such as hotels, visitor centres and parks. This new initiative will help provide another critical link in the overall network for public charging.