Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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136. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects the electric vehicle apartment charging grants scheme will be in operation and open for applications; the percentage of a grant the scheme will provide to apartment dwellers looking to install EV chargers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27802/22]

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 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. 

Work is currently being progressed to expand the EV home charger grant to include multi-unit developments such as apartment blocks. There is an onus on the Department to ensure that this extension of the EV Home Charger scheme is fully compliant with state aid obligations. The final legal checks are currently being completed and I expect to be able to launch this scheme shortly.

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 majority of EV charging is done at home and 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. Work is currently being progressed to expand the EV home charger grant to include multi-unit dwellings. This scheme will be launched shortly.

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 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. 

To coordinate the provision of EV supports and grants and the delivery of charging infrastructure, the Government will establish an office of Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) within the Department of Transport in Summer 2022. ZEVI will coordinate and support the development and roll-out of publicly accessible charging infrastructure. ZEVI will therefore provide co-funding to support Local Authorities in developing local area network plans for EV infrastructure. I anticipate that the Residential Charging Scheme will be open to applications for funding later this year.