Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
534. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects public transport to become less reliant on fossil fuels in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18056/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraClean and energy efficient vehicles have an important role to play in achieving Ireland's policy objectives of reducing energy consumption and lessening our levels of greenhouse gas emissions, and I am strongly committed to facilitating the uptake of low-emission vehicles and technologies in the public transport sector, for bus, rail and taxis.
As the Deputy will be aware, the recently published National Development Plan commits Ireland to replacing the urban public bus fleet with lower emitting alternatives, with no diesel-only buses purchased from July 2019 under the BusConnects fleet renewal programme. BusConnects will be delivered by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and will initially address the transition of bus fleets operating within the Greater Dublin Area with potential expansion to other urban centres - towards new low-emission vehicle technologies. It is expected that by 2023, half of the bus fleet (approximately 500 buses) will be converted to low-emission vehicles, with plans for full conversion by 2030.
My Department has also established a Green Public Transport Fund to support the uptake of energy-efficient technologies for PSO operators within the public transport sector; specifically, to support pilots, trials and demonstrations of emerging low emission technologies by covering the price differential between the cost of conventionally fuelled buses and the cost of an alternatively fuelled vehicle, as well as any associated refuelling or recharging infrastructure. I understand that the NTA intends to access this Fund before end 2018 to facilitate trials of a range of technologies in urban bus fleets.
The NTA has recently undertaken a market consultation assessing a broad range of alternative fuels and technologies. My Department and the NTA will continue to work together with a view to determining the most suitable options for the Irish context.
Equally, the importance of rail in providing an energy-efficient mode of transport has not been overlooked. Electrified rail use, in particular, is capable of achieving low emissions through utilising renewable sources of energy and considerable progress in projects such as the Luas Cross City has been achieved. This strong move towards electrification in the commuter rail sector which began with DART and was added to by LUAS will be reinforced and further developed through the new Metro Link and the Dart Expansion Programme set out in the National Development Plan.
In addition, I recently established a new electric vehicle (EV) grant scheme to support the transition of the Taxi/Hackney/Limousine sector to EVs. This new initiative will help to stimulate the uptake of EVs in the SPSV industry by giving drivers up to €7,000 towards the purchase of an EV. The scheme, which was launched on 01 February, has had a high number of applicants so far and will, I expect, play a key role in advocating for and normalising the use of EVs with members of the public.
