Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

130. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if grants are available for the purchase of e-bikes, particularly for older people who would like to avail of this form of transport but who cannot cycle without an e-bike; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47093/23]

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

My Department is continuously exploring ways to encourage the uptake of cycling as a mode of transport and it is evident that the popularity of e-bikes is rising. Our National Sustainable Mobility Policy examines the different behavioural change measures that can be explored to promote modal shift away from private car use and towards zero-emission transport modes such as walking, cycling and e-biking.

The Programme for Government commits to “widening the eligibility of the Bike to Work scheme”. The Deputy will be aware that in Budget 2021, my colleague, the then Minister for Finance, increased the thresholds for the Cycle to Work scheme to enable the purchase of e-bikes and more recently the thresholds were increased again in a recent Budget to accommodate the purchase of cargo bikes and e-cargo bikes.

My Department is also continuing to undertake research into other additional measures which could be introduced to promote modal shift and encourage uptake of electric bikes across all demographics as part of the annual Budgetary process. Potential schemes such as grants, tax reliefs or similar schemes will be considered and discussed with relevant stakeholders including the Department of Transport as part of this process.