Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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144. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider additional financial support for costs related to electric vehicle conversions especially in the case of community and voluntary groups. [46240/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of the Department. Within the Climate Action Plan (CAP), fleet electrification is one of the biggest mitigation actions for domestic sectors and will provide the greatest share of transport emissions abatement to 2030.

There are a number of financial supports from Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, and where applicable with support from the Department of Finance, which support the transition to electric vehicles including: an EV purchase grant scheme; a home charger grant scheme; eSPSV, a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to EVs; and ZEHDV, a grant for HDVs to bridge the gap between a low emission vehicle.

These and related infrastructure supports will continue to incentivise the switch to electric vehicles as well as enabling the expansion of a fast and rapid electric vehicle charging network to stay ahead of demand. We are committed to regularly reviewing these measures and grants to ensure they support our decarbonisation objectives.

The Department is aware of initiatives to retrofit internal combustion engine cars to electric vehicles. Innovations that provide reliable solutions for people willing to transition to electric vehicles are to be welcomed, particularly if they provide options for people who might be unable to purchase a new vehicle. It is expected that training for this type of conversion will increase in the coming years as research and technology develop further.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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145. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to consider and review the current grant scheme for electric vehicle purchases to determine if they are sufficient to cover rising costs, including conversions and tax liabilities. [46241/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of the Department.

Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) incentivises vehicle uptake through both direct funding interventions and by creating an advantageous policy ecosystem for manufacturers, importers and dealers, as well as for complimentary sectors such as the lease/hire sector, the eSPSV and fleets sector and for participants in the second-hand market.

Current financial supports from ZEVI for the transition to electric vehicles and for the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure include:

•A purchase grant for battery electric vehicles (BEVs);

•A Home Charger purchase grant scheme;

•An apartment charger scheme;

•Benefit-in-Kind tax relief for battery electric vehicles;

•Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) relief of up to €5000 for BEVs;

•eSPSV grant scheme – a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to an EV;

•ZEHDV grant scheme – a grant for HDVs to bridge the gap between a low emission vehicle and a fossil fuel vehicle; and

•Low rate of annual motor tax.

These and related infrastructure supports will continue to incentivise the switch to electric vehicles as well as enabling the expansion of a fast and rapid electric vehicle charging network to stay ahead of demand. We are committed to regularly reviewing these measures and grants to ensure they support our decarbonisation objectives.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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146. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider introducing specific concessions or subsidies for rural transport groups transitioning to electric vehicles. [46242/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of the Department. Public transport will play a large role in reaching climate targets; however, fleet electrification is one of the biggest mitigation actions for domestic sectors and will provide the greatest share of transport emissions abatement to 2030. EVs will also support decarbonisation of transport in rural or underserved areas lacking public transport provision or other travel alternatives.

The Department of Transport is aware of the need to consider varied and local challenges to EV uptake, including those living in rural areas. Current financial supports from Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland for the transition to electric vehicles and for the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure include:

• A purchase grant for battery electric vehicles (BEVs);

• A Home Charger purchase grant scheme;

• An apartment charger scheme;

• Benefit-in-Kind tax relief for battery electric vehicles;

• Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) relief of up to €5000 for BEVs;

• eSPSV grant scheme – a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to an EV;

• ZEHDV grant scheme – a grant for HDVs to bridge the gap between a low emission vehicle and a fossil fuel vehicle; and

• Low rate of annual motor tax.

These and related infrastructure supports will continue to incentivise the switch to electric vehicles as well as enabling the expansion of a fast and rapid electric vehicle charging network to stay ahead of demand. We are committed to regularly reviewing these measures and grants to ensure they support our decarbonisation objectives.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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147. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline any consultation his Department has had with conversion specialists (details supplied) to address challenges in retrofitting electric vehicles; and if he plans to have any in the future. [46243/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Ireland has committed to transitioning to a low carbon economy by 2050 and the transport sector has a significant role to play. There is a current target under the Climate Action Plan to have 30% of our private car fleet switched to electric by 2030. Fleet electrification is expected to continue to provide the greatest share of emissions abatement in the short-to-medium term for the transport sector.

The Department has previously engaged with companies offering EV conversion options and while the Department is not in current engagement with conversion specialists, innovations which provide reliable solutions for people willing to transition to electric vehicles are welcomed and particularly if they provide options for people who might be unable to purchase a new vehicle.

My Department will continue to monitor the still emerging EV sector for innovations such as vehicle conversion and will engage as appropriate with industry to consider potential future uptake incentives and programmes.

The Government is committed to making electric vehicles accessible to all. Current financial supports from Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, and where applicable with support from the Department of Finance, for the transition to electric vehicles and for the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure include:

• A purchase grant for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) of up to €3,500;

• A Home Charger purchase grant scheme - up to €300;

• VRT relief of up to €5,000 for the purchase of BEVs;

• Benefit-in-Kind tax relief for battery electric vehicles and chargers;

• eSPSV grant scheme – a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to EVs, including wheelchair accessible EVs;

• ZEHDV grant scheme – for HDVs to bridge the gap between a low emission vehicle and a fossil fuel vehicle; and

• Low rate of annual motor tax.

These and related infrastructure supports will continue to incentivise the switch to electric vehicles as well as enabling the expansion of a fast and accessible rapid electric vehicle charging network to stay ahead of demand.