Written answer
Departmental Schemes
ICE2EV applications are closed, with payments and evaluation ongoing; no successor scheme decision has been made, while existing EV purchase grants remain available.
202. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Transport the total number of successful applications processed under the recent ICE2EV pilot scrappage scheme; the timeline for completing the departmental review into the scheme's emission-reduction impacts and geographic value for money; if he will explicitly state whether provisions will be made from the increased €143 million EV funding allocation in Budget 2027 to reintroduce a successor scrappage scheme next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75318/26]
Comment on this
The ICE2EV Pilot Scrappage Scheme was designed and launched as a capped pilot initiative, supported by €17 million in funding from the Climate Action Fund, comprising of €10 million for the scrappage grant and €7 million for the EV purchase grant.
The strong level of interest in the scheme is encouraging and highlights increasing consumer engagement with the transition to electric vehicles. This positive response aligns with Ireland’s broader Climate Action objectives, including the ambition to increase the uptake of electric vehicles to 30% of the national car fleet by 2030.
While the pilot scheme has closed for new applications, validation and payment processing remains ongoing. Dealers have a period of up to 4 months to complete the sale and submit the documentation. A post-completion evaluation of the scheme will be undertaken, once all documentation has been collected, to assess its effectiveness, emissions impact and overall value for money, and to inform future policy decisions in this area. The evaluation will consider a range of factors, including the drawdown of available funding, participation across different geographic areas, the characteristics of vehicles being scrapped, and the types of electric vehicles supported under the scheme.
No decision has been made at this time regarding an extension of the scheme. Any future iterations of this pilot scheme will be subject to the outcome of the above review, as well as wider budgetary considerations.
The existing EV purchase grant scheme, administered by the SEAI, remains in place, with grants of €3,500 available for the purchase of new electric vehicles up to €50,000 in value.