Written answers

Tuesday, 13 June 2023

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Electric Vehicles

Photo of Patrick CostelloPatrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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276. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide electric vehicles charging for people who do not have their own driveway and must avail of on-street parking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27460/23]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 accelerates 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.

Destination Charging is 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 and delivery, including

  • A shared Island funded Sports Club scheme, which will install up to 200 fast chargers
  • An EU Just transition Fund supported scheme, which is planned to install 60-80 chargers
These circa 300 sites, in addition to those under other destination schemes currently planned will be delivered in 2024 and 2025.

A new Residential Neighbourhood Charging Scheme will be launched by ZEVI, which will 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.

Photo of Patrick CostelloPatrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

277. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has considered adapting street lamp-posts to also have charge points for electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27461/23]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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

The Department of Transport is actively engaged in supporting the Local Authorities, who manage the local lighting lamppost infrastructure, in the development of EV infrastructure strategies. The Local Authority strategies will look at destination and local neighbourhood solutions that are appropriate to their specific locations to meet the projected publicly accessible charging needs and these plans may well include lamppost charging where suitable, among a range of possible solutions to charging demand.

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