Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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121. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the ownership and maintenance model that is intended for infrastructure developed from the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20890/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action Plan 2021 set a target of 945,000 EVs by 2030.  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, to facilitate the expansion of EVs in the Irish car fleet. A draft National Charging Infrastructure Strategy has been published for public consultation which sets out a pathway for the provision of charging infrastructure to stay ahead of demand.

The Infrastructure Strategy proposes that for those who cannot charge at home, provision of residential charging solutions that give the same benefits and mirror the home charging option should be the first objective.

There is an onus on national and local government to facilitate the provision of these charging solutions for citizens who do not have access to a home charge point.

The Strategy proposes a new Residential charging scheme that will replace the existing Public Points scheme. It is envisaged that this new scheme will provide significant co-funding of 75% to Local Authorities to support the design of local area charging networks, as well as the delivery and installation of these networks which are intended to comprise both on-street charging in areas where residents do not have access to home charging solutions, and destination charge points. 

It will be a matter for the relevant Local Authorities to make decisions on ownership and operating models for such infrastructure, whereas the Strategy lays down the expected standards for publicly accessible charging points, such as ease of use, interoperability of equipment and availability of a universal payment method. 

For other charging solutions, such as en-route charging, the ownership and operation of charging hubs and similar facilitates will depend on the site ownership as well as any commercial or contracted agreements for operation, which are not a matter for my Department. 

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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122. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department plans to review the current relief grant for purchase of electric vehicles as part of the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20889/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Electric vehicles (EVs) are the most prominent transport mitigation measure in the 2021 Climate Action Plan, and Ireland has set an ambitious target of 945,000 EVs on our roads by 2030. This target is challenging but indicates the scale of the transformation that is needed across all sectors if Ireland is to achieve its climate targets in the coming years.

As the Deputy will be aware, a comprehensive suite of measures is available to EV drivers, including purchase grants for private car owners and taxi drivers, VRT relief, reduced tolls, home charger grants, favourable motor and BIK tax rates, as well as a comprehensive charging network. These measures have collectively contributed to increased take up of EVs in Ireland in recent years, albeit from a low base, to over 55,000 now.

In addition, the Department convened the Electric Vehicle Policy Pathway (EVPP) Working Group to produce a roadmap to achieving the 2030 EV target. In particular, the group examined the optimum mix of regulatory, taxation and subsidy policies. The recommendations of the EVPP Working Group were approved by Government and the full report is available online. In line with the Group’s recommendations to support the transition to EVs:

- The generous suite of EV supports already in place in Ireland has been retained until at least end-2022. Work is ongoing to identify additional measures to further incentivise EVs and/or disincentivise fossil fuelled vehicles. Overall, cost-effective, targeted policy supports will continue to be developed and strengthened over the coming years; and   

- Work is underway to establish Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, as a matter of priority, to co-ordinate the implementation of existing and future EV measures and infrastructure.  

A cross-departmental Implementation Committee has been established to progress the recommendations contained in the EVPP report and is due to report on its progress to Government in Q4 of this year.

Overall, the Department is acutely aware that the cost of electric vehicles remains an issue for many consumers. To this end, electric vehicle policy is kept under continuous review to endeavor to make low emission vehicles affordable.

The Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy, published at the end of March, concurrently sets out a pathway for the provision of charging infrastructure to stay ahead of demand for EVs as we move towards our 2030 targets.