Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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240. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide public electric vehicle chargers in Allihies, Castletownbere and Eyeries, County Cork. [12484/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles.

Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and cheaper for the consumer as well as assisting in the overall management of the national grid. Over 80% of charging is expected to happen at home.

However, there is also a need for a seamless public charging network that will provide for situations or instances where home charging is not possible, such as on-street and residential charging, destination charging and workplace charging.

Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), a dedicated Office which oversees and accelerate Ireland’s transition to zero emission vehicles, has significant funding available in 2023 for the installation of EV charging across Ireland.

In January, I launched the national Strategy for the development of EV charging infrastructure, covering the crucial period out to 2025, alongside an Implementation Plan. The strategy sets out the government’s ambition regarding the delivery of a public EV charging network to support up to 195,000 electric cars and vans by the middle of the decade.

A range of new charging infrastructure schemes are being developed which will help provide another critical link in the overall network for public charging.

A new Residential Neighbourhood Charging Scheme will be launched by ZEVI for Local Authorities to provide EV charging for residents without access off street parking. This EV charging will be designed to mimic home charging and will incentivise off-peak charging in a location convenient to the resident’s home. In addition to this we will be working with local authorities to support them creating local charging plans to be rolled out in the coming years

Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland also launched a new destination charging scheme, the Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Scheme, at the end of January to support the installation of fast electric vehicle chargers into sports clubs. The scheme aims to install approximately 200 chargers into local communities providing a network of fast chargers across the island. It has been developed on an all-island basis in partnership with Sports Ireland and its recognised National Governing Bodies as well as in collaboration with the ESB Networks and Northern Ireland Electric and the commercial sector. The Scheme is funded to the value of €15m by the Shared Island Fund.

Public EV charge points are provided in Ireland by a number of charge point operators on a commercial basis. ZEVI is engaging with these charge point operators as key stakeholders in the delivery and roll-out of fast charging points across the country.