Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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418. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has examined introducing a scrappage scheme for older more polluting cars to encourage the purchase of new electric vehicles; the estimated cost of introducing such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20873/22]

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.

My Department convened the Electric Vehicle Policy Pathway (EVPP) Working Group to produce a roadmap to achieving the 2030 EV target. The EVPP Working Group comprised senior officials and considered regulatory, financial, and taxation policies to help drive a significant ramp-up in passenger EVs and electric van sales.

Scrappage schemes were discussed as part of these considerations. The Working Group considered the potential of this incentive but concluded that a general  scrappage scheme would entail significant additional costs. That said, the Group concluded that niche markets scrappage schemes could potentially play an important role, such as in the SPSV sector. A scrappage scheme was introduced for the SPSV sector in 2021.

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.