Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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227. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to expand EV charging points at the State's airports to facilitate more EV drivers and an increase in EV car rental; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13031/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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EV Charging Infrastructure at the state's airports is mainly provided at the discretion of the airports at these locations.

daa announced 20 environmental sustainability initiatives being rolled out at Dublin and Cork Airports last year which will accelerate both airports’ climate and sustainability related ambitions. This includes the completion of work on over 20 additional electric vehicle parking spaces at Dublin Airport. Currently there are a total of 30 charging points in Dublin Airport car parks, and 12 charging points at Cork Airport car park.

The Shannon Airport Group’s Sustainability Strategy, Reaching Further for Good, includes the action to expand EV charging infrastructure across the Shannon Campus and develop a further expansion plan to meet future demand. There are currently six public charging points and one taxi charging point at the Airport, and five public charging points in the Shannon Business Campus.

The Regional Airports Programme provides targeted safety, security and sustainability funding to regional airports. This funding includes support for EV charging of airside airport operational vehicles.

ZEVI also provided support for a mixed taxi/public charging pilot scheme at Shannon Airport in 2022 and 2023. This scheme was proposed by Shannon Airport to test the charging model at such facilities.

In relation to developing the EV share of the car rental market, ZEVI has regular engagement with Failte Ireland and the Car Rental Council of Ireland to identify ways to address this.

As well as charging at airports, there is a need for a high quality nationwide EV public charging network, as tourists renting EVs will be reliable on public charging, rather than home charging. ZEVI is working through TII and Local Authorities to deliver a national charging network covering not just motorways and national roads but regional and local roads, and towns and villages around Ireland.

Following the priorities set out in the National Road EV Network Plan, TII has launched procurement for delivery of high powered chargers along motorway routes, national primary and secondary roads. Contracts have been awarded for the motorway charging banks, and delivery is expected by the end of 2025. "LDV2" procurement targeting single carriageway national primary roads has closed is in the evaluation process. LDV3 procurement targeting national secondary roads was launched in February.

Local Authorities are in the process of developing and finalising regional EV strategies. While these are in development, ZEVI is working with Local Authorities to deliver pilot charging infrastructure to test different commercial models and charging provision.