Written answers

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Electric Vehicles

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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524. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding that was allocated to the EV grant scheme in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the number of grants that were awarded; the number of grants that were drawn down; the number of grants that were provided to vehicles between €10,000 and €15,000, €15,000 and €20,000, €20,000 and €25,000, €25,000 and €30,000, €30,000 and €35,000, €35,000 and €40,000, €45,000 and €50,000 and the average value of the award, in tabular form. [43099/25]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Fleet electrification is expected to continue to provide the greatest share of emissions abatement in the short-to-medium term for the transport sector. Over €100m has been allocated in 2025 to support the continued transition to electric vehicles through funding for EV grants and EV charging infrastructure. This underpins the Government’s commitment to making electric vehicles accessible to all.

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (now Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment) held responsibility for electric vehicle and charging grants in 2020. Therefore, the requested details are set out below for the years 2021 to 2025.

Year Budget Allocated Number of Grants Offered Number Grants Drawn Down Grants paid to vehicles €10-15K Grants paid to vehicles €15-20K Grants paid to vehicles €20-25K Grants paid to vehicles €25-30K Grants paid to vehicles €30-35K Grants paid to vehicles €35-40K Grants paid to vehicles €40-45K Grants paid to vehicles €45-50K Grants paid to vehicles €50-55K Grants paid to vehicles over €55k
2021 €63,000,000 16,184 13,409 - - 2 14 444 1,953 1,980 2,006 1,161 2,834
2022 €60,000,000 11,560 10,891 - - 2 16 114 1,256 1,931 1,534 1,344 3,783
2023 €68,000,000 18,219 15,843 - - 1 2 251 818 1,598 2,863 3,217 5,589
2024 €59,950,000 13,777 12,304 - - 6 53 452 901 1,027 2,757 2,172 2,363
2025 end June €45,000,000 11,392 9,256 - - 70 385 408 595 1,225 2,278 1,948 1,225
*The total number of Grants offer and drawn down include all grant types of Commercial, Demo and Private.

*The breakdown of figures per price bracket is for Private grants only.

The Private grants available during this time were as follows:
2021
PHEV Grant up to June €5,000
PHEV Grant from June €2,500
BEV Grant €5,000
2022
BEV Grant €5,000
2023
BEV Grant up to June €5,000
BEV Grant from June €3,500
2024/2025
BEV Grant €3,500

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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525. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide a breakdown of the number of EV grants awarded, broken down by county, average value of vehicle, average value of award in each of the years 2020 to date, in tabular form. [43100/25]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Fleet electrification is expected to continue to provide the greatest share of emissions abatement in the short-to-medium term for the transport sector. Over €100m has been allocated in 2025 to support the continued transition to electric vehicles through funding for EV grants and EV charging infrastructure. This underpins the Government’s commitment to making electric vehicles accessible to all.

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (now Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment) held responsibility for electric vehicle and charging grants in 2020. Therefore, the requested details are set out below for the years 2021 to 2025.

Breakdown of all grant types paid by county (number of grants)
County 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Carlow 163 123 185 138 124
Cavan 114 102 151 85 92
Clare 252 223 372 223 209
Cork 1554 1130 1772 1302 1188
Donegal 346 248 302 204 208
Dublin 5075 3757 5654 4832 3514
Galway 528 532 703 444 376
Kerry 223 209 282 205 225
Kildare 871 706 1074 845 750
Kilkenny 208 197 243 180 174
Laois 153 149 202 150 193
Leitrim 29 48 59 36 26
Limerick 477 322 512 363 316
Longford 49 43 80 52 43
Louth 345 241 421 314 298
Mayo 198 207 225 136 146
Meath 543 594 910 697 567
Monaghan 68 48 84 63 65
Offaly 145 123 163 129 134
Roscommon 72 102 126 87 69
Sligo 169 156 183 113 108
Tipperary 331 287 324 200 272
Waterford 330 268 352 328 235
Westmeath 290 189 259 215 204
Wexford 399 381 455 406 300
Wicklow 477 506 750 557 421
Total 13409 10891 15843 12304 10257
Average Vehicle Cost for Private Grants only
2021 € 57,200
2022 € 48,603
2023 € 50,260
2024 € 47,966
2025 € 45,620
The Private grants available during this time were as follows:
2021
PHEV Grant up to June €5,000
PHEV Grant from June €2,500
BEV Grant €5,000
2022
BEV Grant €5,000
2023
BEV Grant up to June €5,000
BEV Grant from June €3,500
2024/2025
BEV Grant €3,500

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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526. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered targeted supports for EV uptake in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43101/25]

Photo of Ciarán AhernCiarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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540. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he would consider the introduction of targeted EV grants for rural communities experiencing “public transport poverty”; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43147/25]

Photo of Jerry ButtimerJerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 526 and 540 together.

Rural motorists are often in an advantageous position to make the switch to an electric vehicle, due to the large number of dwellings in rural Ireland which are suitable for home EV charging.

Home charging means lower running costs and many EVs are now capable of doing over 400km on a single charge, which will meet most people’s daily driving needs.

The public charging network has grown in recent years and the new Programme for Government includes further significant expansion and modernisation of the EV charging network so that drivers can use their EVs with confidence and certainty.

TII are leading on the delivery of charging infrastructure along our motorways and national primary and secondary routes and we have launched grant aid programmes for the delivery of significant high powered charging infrastructure on these roads, all for delivery in the next 12 months, to ensure that EV drivers have reliable access to charging points across the country.

Also of significant relevance to rural motorists is the Regional and Local EV Charging Network Plan. This plan describes how Local Authorities will facilitate the provision of local charging networks.

Officials from my Department have been engaging actively with Local Authorities to develop their own regional charging plans to meet the various needs of users at the local level, whether urban or rural.

All of this work is already underway through our existing EV Strategy. I can also confirm that, in line with a Programme for Government commitment, a new EV Infrastructure Strategy will be developed this year covering 2026 onwards. A key consideration in that will be addressing the specific EV challenges for rural communities.

There is a suite of incentives in place from ZEVI, and where applicable with support from taxation incentives through the Department of Finance, to support the continued transition to EVs, including a purchase grant for battery electric vehicles; a home charger purchase grant; VRT relief of up to €5,000; and a low rate of annual motor tax.

As detailed in the new programme for Government, we will continue to examine the current EV grant system and the introduction of additional incentives with a view to increasing take-up of EVs and replacing older, polluting vehicles.

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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527. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to increase EV uptake among lower incomes households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43102/25]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is fully committed to supporting the transition to zero-emission transport and the ambitious target to have 30% of private car fleet switched to electric by 2030. As detailed in the new programme for Government, my Department is examining the current EV grant system to ensure it remains effective and consistent with a just transition.

Over €100m has been allocated in 2025 to support the continued transition to electric vehicles which includes funding for EV grants and EV charging infrastructure. It is also important to note that EV purchase costs have reduced in the last year due to the coming on stream of new EV brands and models from manufacturers.

There is a suite of incentives in place from Zero Emission Vehicle Ireland, and where applicable with support from taxation incentives through the Department of Finance, to support the continued transition to EVs and for the rollout of EV charging infrastructure, including:

  • 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; and
  • Low rate of annual motor tax.

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