Minister announces electric vehicle charging point grant for apartments

A grant for electric vehicle (EV) charging points in apartment blocks is among a number of initiatives, announced by the Minister for Transport to make it easier for people and businesses to switch.

Eamon Ryan said a new dedicated office called Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland would oversee Ireland’s transition to zero emission vehicles.

In total, Mr Ryan announced four new grant schemes and initiatives. Among them is a new apartment charging grant which will make it easier for people who live in apartments and multi-unit dwellings to charge an EV.

He also announced an expansion to the home charger grant which will enable any tenants and homeowners to apply for a grant, whether they own an EV or not. This can also be used for visitor use or at rented accommodation.

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A new trial to promote and encourage the electrification of the commercial fleet was also announced, giving businesses the opportunity to test an EV free of charge for at least three months.

For sports clubs across the island of Ireland, there will be new funding to install a network of publicly accessible chargers for members and visitors.

“We have to transform the way we get around our country so that we do not rely on expensive, carbon emitting and polluting fossil fuels,” said Mr Ryan.

“One of the ways we can help decarbonise our transport sector is by accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles, both passenger cars and the commercial fleet.”

He said the new office would be charged with supporting people to switch to electric vehicles and to deliver Ireland’s target to have 945,000 electric vehicles in the Irish fleet by 2030.

“We are already seeing that there is an appetite for this switch with the increases in the purchase of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles over the past year,” he said.

“I hope that the grants and initiatives we are launching today, along with Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, will make it easier for people and businesses to continue to make the switch and then to be able to charge their cars, no matter where they live.”