Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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77. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department will introduce a specific targeted scheme to encourage car rental services to switch to electric vehicles in line with Government targets for 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46859/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The transport sector accounts for approximately 20% of Ireland’s national greenhouse gas emissions, with car use responsible for over half of these emissions. In recognition of this, the Climate Action Plan contains commitments to significantly increase electrification within the national fleet, including an ambitious target of 945,000 electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. Meeting this target will be extremely challenging; however, it represents the scale of transformation needed in the transport sector if emissions are to be reduced to the extent required.

A positive policy environment has been fostered with a generous suite of financial and taxation incentives in place for those buying an EV as well as an extensive publicly accessible recharging infrastructure network. Presently, there are approximately 64,700 EVs on Irish roads; a significant step-up is required if Ireland is to achieve its Climate Action Plan EV target.

My Department established the Electric Vehicle Policy Pathway Working Group to consider the optimum mix of regulatory, taxation and subsidy policies available to Government to significantly accelerate electric vehicle sales. This Group focused on mechanisms to achieve an immediate increase in EV uptake to attain over 175,000 EVs by 2025 in the line with the Climate Action Plan trajectory and, thereafter, to be well placed to reach full electrification by 2030. In its report, published last year, the Group recommended that proposals be developed to support EV sales in the commercial fleet, including but not limited to car rental/leasing companies, company vehicles and car sharing services, in order to stimulate a greater second-hand EV market.

On 21st July I launched a new dedicated Office, Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, which will oversee and accelerate Ireland’s transition to zero emission vehicles. Further information on Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland and the various incentives is available at www.gov.ie/zevi.

At a policy level, ZEVI will continue to support the need to assist the transition to driving electric. I am supportive of all appropriate and proportionate supports for the EV industry providing momentum towards achieving the Government’s emission reduction commitment. I will ask ZEVI to consider the effectiveness of introducing such a scheme.