Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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191. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps that he is taking to increase the percentage of electric or hybrid vehicles owned by his Department and state agencies and bodies under the Department’s remit. [45590/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of my Department. The Programme for Government commits to 7% average annual emissions reduction to 2030; ultimately, the goal is for a zero-emission mobility system by 2050. The transport sector, which accounts for about 20% of Ireland’s overall carbon emissions, must play a central role in the national decarbonisation effort. The national car and van (LGV) fleet accounts for almost 60% of all land transport emissions, and so a transition to low emissions vehicles, including EVs, is a necessary step-change to effect a substantial reduction in transport emissions.

Electric vehicles are an important 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.

There are 11 commercial and 8 non-commercial agencies under the remit of my Department. Where the CEO of an agency under the remit of the Department has provision in their contract for the use of a car, the Minister stipulates the company vehicle should be an electric vehicle

I have forwarded the Deputies question to each agency for direct response. Please contact my Office if no reply is received within 10 working days.

The Climate Action Plan and the Programme for Government commits to developing and implementing a sustainable public procurement policy, to ensure that what are we buying and building is consistent with our climate ambition.

The Office of Government Procurement has drawn up fixed price procurement frameworks for the supply of long and medium range battery electric passenger cars and vans to public sector bodies. Full details on how to use the framework as well as pricing and supplier contact details can be found on the www.ogp.gov.ie website. These Frameworks will greatly assist Government departments and bodies to purchase electric cars and vans. As battery and recharging technologies develop and a greater range of vehicles become commercially available I expect an increasing number of public bodies to transition to EVs.

The use of EVs within public sector vehicle fleets and the installation of associated EV infrastructure is an important exemplar and market driver, providing the necessary public leadership and raising consumer awareness of EVs.