344. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport for an update on future levels of grant assistance available for the purchase of electric vehicles; the plans to expand the national network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to improve accessibility and reliability for motorists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59060/26]

The Government is fully committed to supporting the transition to zero-emission and the ambitious target to have 30% of private car fleet switched to electric by 2030.

Over €120m has been allocated in 2026 to support the continued transition to EVs which includes funding for EV grants and EV charging infrastructure. This underpins the Government's commitment to making electric vehicles accessible to all.

An additional €47 million was allocated from the Climate Action Fund to support the high level of demand in 2026 to include funding for the recent announced ICE2EV scheme.

Current incentives to support the continued transition to electric vehicles and for the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure include:

• a purchase grant for battery electric vehicles (BEVs)

• a home charging scheme

• an apartment charging scheme

• benefit-in-kind tax relief for BEVs

• VRT relief of up to €5,000 for BEVs

• a low rate of annual motor tax.

From a business perspective there are also supports available including:

• a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to an EV

• a fleet assessment grant to help businesses explore the transition to EVs

• a grant for HDVs to bridge the gap between a zero emission vehicle and a fossil fuel vehicle.

For the EV Purchase Grant, the maximum eligible vehicle price threshold for the grant will now be €50,000, rather than €60,000. This change has been made to target funding for EV transition towards lower price bracket cars, enabling a greater proportion of the funding available within the National Development Plan to support the roll-out of public charging infrastructure. The amended price threshold will come into place for new applications received after 31 July 2026, and will be kept under review in 2027.

The EV grant system is continually reviewed to optimise EV purchasing with a view to replacing older, polluting vehicles. It should be noted that decisions on financial incentives, including EV grants, must be taken in the context of overall financial sustainability.

The Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) sets binding national targets for all Member States to ensure adequate deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure for the road, rail, maritime and aviation sectors. It also defines unified technical standards and requirements for user access, data sharing and payment systems to ensure consistency and interoperability across the EU. The requirements include minimum power output and the maximum distance allowable between recharging pools (one or more recharging stations in one specific location).

In order to achieve Ireland’s EU targets under AFIR and depending on level of power supplied at charging points, it is expected that there will be 3,200 – 6,210 public chargers required nationally by 2030. AFIR requirements state that there should be 1.3kW of capacity on the national network per BEV and 0.8kW capacity per PHEV.

The National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy, being revised for the period 2026-2028, outlines the requirements for publicly accessible charging and installing EV Infrastructure that is capable of meeting user needs.

Home charging is, and is expected to remain, the primary means by which most drivers charge their vehicles. Public charging infrastructure plays a critical complementary role, not only in supporting enroute journeys, but also in ensuring that those who cannot charge at home are not disadvantaged and can participate fully in the transition to electric vehicles.

Further, the Regional and Local EV Charging Network Plan, which focuses on neighbourhood and destination charging locations, will be led by Local Authorities in partnership with both public and private sectors.

Local authorities are being funded by ZEVI to develop local and regional EV charging network strategies and implementation plans. This process will identify the number of charge points required in each area, including on-street chargers to serve residents without access to private off-street parking. Exchequer funding of EUR15m has been made available in 2026 for the rollout of local and regional EV charging infrastructure.

In addition to funding provided to Local Authorities for the roll-out of Local and Regional charging infrastructure, a further EUR20m of exchequer funding has been allocated for the rollout of the LDV National Road Grant Schemes. These schemes provide financial support for the installation of high-powered recharging pools along key sections of the national roads, prioritising fast and ultra-fast charging for EV drivers, with 155 sites being supported through the LDV1, LDV2 and LDV3 Grant Schemes.

Lastly, the Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Infrastructure Scheme is a €15 million all-island initiative supporting the installation of publicly accessible EV chargers in sports clubs. The aim of the scheme is to install a network of publicly accessible EV chargers in communities throughout the country, through their local sports clubs. Included in the scheme are 219 clubs of which 171 are in Ireland and 48 in Northern Ireland.