Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 November 2018
228. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to increase the number of e-car public charging points in an area (details supplied) and across the country as a whole; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49705/18]
View answerThe majority of the existing network of publicly accessible charge points was rolled out by the ESB through its eCars programme. An interactive map showing the locations of charging points throughout Ireland is available at www.esb.ie/our-businesses/ecars/charge-point-map.
There are currently public chargers available at 7 locations in Dublin Bay North. This includes a fast charger in Circle K/Topaz Service Station, Clonshaugh Road, Cloghran, Dublin 17.
A key aspect of the work of the Low Emission Vehicle Taskforce, co-chaired by my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, involved examining how best to support the development of the electric vehicle charging. The first phase of the Taskforce's work, which focused on electric vehicles, is now complete and the progress report is available on my Department’s website. Arising out of the work of the Taskforce a support scheme is in place to support electric vehicle charging at home, the primary method of charging for the majority of electric vehicles both internationally and in Ireland. My Department, in conjunction with the SEAI, is working on how best to support the provision of greater levels of on-street public charging.
I announced the successful projects under the first Call for Applications Assessment Stage under the Climate Action Fund today. I am delighted to approve funding of up to €10 million to a project from ESB eCars that will develop a nationwide, state-of-the-art electric vehicle charging network capable of facilitating large-scale electric vehicle uptake over the next decade. Further details on this project, and the other projects approved from the Fund today, are available on my Department's website at www.dccae.gov.ie.
