Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

141. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a system of regulation for the provision of EV charging services on public networks across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49587/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the EV charging network over the coming years.

EV infrastructure standards are mandated through European regulations, the ITS Directive, the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation, and Irish legislation and regulations.

The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) has been in force since 13 April 2024 and is an important part of the EU’s Fit for 55 policy package to reduce EU emissions by 55% by 2030 and make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

The Regulation establishes mandatory minimum alternative fuels infrastructure targets and obligations, to ensure that a sufficient and interoperable recharging and refuelling infrastructure network is in place across EU Member States.

AFIR sets targets and timeframes for the deployment of infrastructure in urban nodes and across the main transport corridors in each Member State (the Trans-European Network-Transport network (TEN-T), including electric vehicle recharging infrastructure for light- and heavy-duty vehicles.

The National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy (currently being revised for the period 2026-2028)sets out the ambition and strategy for the delivery of a national EV charging network across the country that will meet users' needs, and includes the practical steps to deliver this network and AFIR infrastructure targets.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

142. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport whether the Commission for Regulation of Utilities has any role in collating the price of electricity at public EV charging stations across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49588/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The regulator for sale of electricity in Ireland is Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). They are also regulators of all the main suppliers of electricity in Ireland; ESB, ESBN and EirGrid. Any entity that supplies electricity to end-users is required under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (the “1999 Act”) to hold an electricity supply licence. The CRU published two decision papers on EV charging infrastructure, which take the approach that the infrastructure operator is the “end user” for the purposes of the 1999 Act, meaning that Charge Point Operators (CPOs) are unlikely to require a supply licence to operate. CPOs are, however, required to enter into contracts with licensed electricity suppliers for the supply of electricity.

The CRU’s role is to protect customers by ensuring that the network companies spend customers’ money appropriately and efficiently to deliver necessary services and make necessary investments in infrastructure.

As CPOs are considered end users in the context of EV charging, the CRU have no involvement in collating or monitoring the price of electricity at public EV charging stations.

Price setting by electricity suppliers and charge point operators is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own approach to pricing decisions in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

143. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of publicly accessible EV charging stations in Ireland, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49589/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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.

Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), a dedicated Office which oversees and accelerates Ireland’s transition to zero emission vehicles, has significant funding available in 2024 for the installation of EV charging across Ireland.

The number of publicly accessible charge points in Ireland increased from 1,700 in September 2022 to approximately 2,400 in 2024. In order to achieve Ireland’s EU targets under the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), it is expected that there will be 3,200 – 6,210 public chargers required nationally, depending on the level of power supplied at each.

Currently, the Department of Transport does not track the number of publicly accessible EV charging stations by region. However, ZEVI is in the process of developing a Data Strategy that will, once in place, enhance the Department’s ability to monitor this infrastructure.

The system will enable the collection of data from charge-points in near real time and provide it on an Open Data basis. The obligation on charge-point operators and owners to share this data is legislated for in the EU Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

144. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the existing regulatory environment is sufficient to prevent the charging of unreasonably high prices by any company that provides publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49590/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The regulator for sale of electricity in Ireland is Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). They are also regulators of all the main suppliers of electricity in Ireland; ESB, ESBN and EirGrid. Any entity that supplies electricity to end-users is required under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (the “1999 Act”) to hold an electricity supply licence. The CRU published two decision papers on EV charging infrastructure, which take the approach that the infrastructure operator is the “end user” for the purposes of the 1999 Act, meaning that Charge Point Operators (CPOs) are unlikely to require a supply licence to operate. CPOs are, however, required to enter into contracts with licensed electricity suppliers for the supply of electricity.

As CPOs are considered end users in the context of EV charging, the CRU have no involvement in regulating the price of electricity at public EV charging stations.

Price setting by electricity suppliers and charge point operators is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own different approach to pricing decisions over time, in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.

There are no current plans to introduce regulation on charging costs within the EV charging sector.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

145. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he proposes to put in place a requirement for all providers of public EV charging services, whether that be through an app, or displayed on the charging device, to clearly indicate what the cost per unit of electricity is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49591/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

EV infrastructure standards are mandated through European regulations, the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), and Irish legislation and regulations.

At an EU level, AFIR lays down common technical specifications and requirements for EV recharging infrastructure, including payment requirements to ensure a seamless and easy charging experience for users.

As stated in both the recitals and under Article 5 of AFIR recharging infrastructure operators are obliged to clearly display prices for publicly accessible recharging points so that the information is known to end users before they begin charging and prices can be easily compared.

The applicable price components shall be presented in the following order:

• price per kWh;

• price per minute;

• price per session; and

• any other price component that applies.

AFIR is directly applicable in all Member States and also lays out key principles regarding the reasonable application of those prices by operators.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

146. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding any research carried out into the merits of providing a public information campaign to ensure that drivers of electric vehicles are familiar with the appropriate range of unit prices for electricity for EV charging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49592/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To date, my Department has not conducted any research, or conducted any public consultations on the merits of a public information campaign regarding driver knowledge on the range of electricity unit prices for EV charging.

Price setting by electricity suppliers and charge point operators is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own approach to pricing decisions in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.

However, EV infrastructure standards are mandated through European regulations, the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), and Irish legislation and regulations.

At an EU level, AFIR lays down common technical specifications and requirements for EV recharging infrastructure, including payment requirements, to ensure a seamless and easy charging experience for users.

As stated in both the recitals and under Article 5 of AFIR recharging infrastructure operators are obliged to clearly display prices for publicly accessible recharging points so that the information is known to end users before they begin charging and prices can be easily compared.

The applicable price components shall be presented in the following order:

• price per kWh;

• price per minute;

• price per session; and

• any other price component that applies.

AFIR is directly applicable in all Member States and also lays out key principles regarding the reasonable application of those prices by operators.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

147. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the spectrum of prices being charged per unit of electricity for public access EV charging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49593/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Price setting by electricity suppliers and charge point operators is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned and the Department has no role. Each such company has its own approach to pricing mechanisms in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.

Public charging, because of higher standing charges due to higher capacity connections as well as the capital cost of cabling and infrastructure, will always be more expensive than home charging solutions. Home Charging is by far the cheapest way of fuelling an electric vehicle. It is expected that 80% of charging will take place at home, with grants available for the installation of home chargers which will assist the public avail of the most advantageous charging rates. Officials in DCEE are also working on introducing a flexibility to rules around private wires, which would allow, in specified circumstances, for the use of a home charging cable across a public footpath, for those without access to off street parking. This will enable a home charging solution for the vast majority of people in Ireland.