Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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38. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the roll-out of EV charging points for the northwest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20791/23]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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40. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of public EV charging points that have been installed in counties Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal and Roscommon from 2020 to April 2023; and if he has new proposals on incentives in conjunction with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media on the roll out of such important infrastructure to assist local rural economies and attract people with EV vehicles to stay and holiday in rural Ireland. [19759/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 40 together.

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. It is also an essential part of ensuring just and equal access to EVs across Ireland, including in rural areas.

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.

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. A suite of new grants and initiatives have been launched and further information on Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland is available at www.gov.ie/zevi.

ZEVI has significant funding available in 2023 for the installation of EV charging across Ireland.

In January this year, 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 key action in the Strategy is the provision of high-powered chargers in remote areas to enable just transition.

ZEVI is developing a number of infrastructure schemes to support the roll-out of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Destination Charging will be a strong priority for ZEVI in 2023.

In addition to a general scheme, a number of bespoke schemes are also in advanced stages of development, including

• A shared Island funded Sports Club scheme, which is expected to install up to 200 fast chargers
• An EU Just transition Fund supported scheme, which is planned to install 60-80 chargers

• 50 charging “hubs” throughout Ireland which can charge between 3-8 vehicles simultaneously, 23 of which have been delivered
• Replacing 50 existing standard chargers with fast chargers, 40 of which have been delivered
• Replacement of over 200 other standard to increase reliability of service