Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021
173. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is taking to facilitate charging of electric vehicles by public sector staff working in publicly owned buildings to which limited public transport exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56173/21]
View answerThe use of EVs within public sector vehicle fleets and the installation of associated EV infrastructure is an important exemplar and market driver, providing the necessary public leadership and raising consumer awareness of EVs.
There are several initiatives and programmes underway across the public sector that encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.
- The Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy encourages public sector fleets to test new technologies and facilitate/accelerate their market uptake.
- Green Public Procurement can act as a driver for innovation and competitiveness in the industrial sector, encouraging the development of new technologies.
- The recast Clean Vehicles Directive set minimum Member State procurement targets, with the main objective of increasing the uptake of clean (low- and zero-emission) vehicles.
- The Local Authority Climate Action Charter is a key action in the Climate Action Plan and will ensure every local authority embeds decarbonisation, sustainable development and climate resilience into every aspect of the work they do.
Preparations are underway to establish an Office of Low Emission Vehicles. This Office will play an important role in our transition to zero emission vehicles. It will co-ordinate measures to support the uptake of EVs and the rollout of charge point infrastructure.
On foot of the Electric Vehicle Policy Pathway Report published in September, it was recommended that having regard to the public leadership role their transition to Low Emission Vehicles can play,ensure that the requirements placed on State bodies through their Climate Action Mandates prioritise the provision of adequate EV charging infrastructure where parking is provided for employees and the public.
The full report of the EVPP Working Group is now available online.
My Department is currently developing a national charging infrastructure strategy that will set out a pathway to stay ahead of EV demand over the critical period out to 2030.
In addition, a destination charge point scheme is being developed by my Department, in association with the SEAI, which will include commonly accessed destinations. In this regard, I am minded to allow certain key publicly owned facilities at which members of the public access state services to apply for funding under this scheme and help provide another critical link in the overall network for public charging.
