Written answers

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Electric Vehicles

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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205. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of public chargers in Dublin city and county by charging capacity; the number of vehicles which can be charged at any given time; the target set to develop this network in 2022 and 2023; and the basis on which targets for the charging network have been set. [3378/22]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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206. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the charges being applied to motorists at public chargers; the way that this compares to the domestic rate; and when it is intended that electric vehicle users will have access to lower prices by utilising the charging network at off-peak times. [3379/22]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together.

The Deputy 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 infrastucture strategy is being developed which will set out a pathway to stay ahead of demand over the critical period out to 2030. My Department is engaging with relevant stakeholders to inform this work and it is envisaged that the strategy will be published for consultation in early 2022. Funding streams for the delivery of public EV charging points will be launched shortly after the publication of the strategy.

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 2022 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.

The Department is working closely with a number of key stakeholders, including Local Government, to ensure electric vehicle charging infrastructure stays ahead of demand. This includes developing appropriate guidance for local authorities in line with the Programme for Government which will ensure we can continue to expand our national charging network through the supports for on street chargers.

Information about the development of the EV charging strategy in the Dublin local authority areas is available here councilmeetings.dublincity.ie/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=33248

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

€10 million was committed from the Climate Action Fund (CAF) to support ESB investment in the charging network and this has leveraged a further €10 million investment from ESB. 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

The project is due to be completed in 2022.

Further details on ESB charge points nationwide can be found at esb.ie/ecars/charge-point-map

In light of the ESB eCars responsibility in the matter of the provision of charge points and the associated fees, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the ESB for direct response. Please contact my Office if no reply is received within 10 working days.

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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207. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of grants paid to the four local authorities to date in Dublin for the installation of public electric vehicle chargers. [3380/22]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Deputy 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 this year which will set out a pathway to stay ahead of demand over the critical period out to 2030.

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.

There is 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.

In terms of existing supports for public charging, the Public Charge Point Scheme, which is administered by the SEAI, provides 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. It should be noted that this scheme facilitates the installation of standard charge points.

My Department has committed to reviewing the Scheme later this year to ensure that it is as effective as possible in driving the decarbonisation effort.

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

Thirteen local authorities have been in touch with SEAI in relation to the Public Points Scheme. To date, letters of offer have issued to Louth County Council and Dublin City Council in 2021, to install a total of 29 charge points within their administrative areas.

In 2021, Dublin City Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council also received €35,779 and €52,780.71 from the Department for the installation of EV Charge Points in their areas, as pilots to inform the development of the forthcoming EV infrastructure strategy.

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