Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara says the absence of any Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points in the entire Killaloe Municipal District is damaging tourism in the region and is acting as a disincentive for local people considering switching to an electric car.
The Scariff Deputy has urged Clare County Council to prioritise East Clare in the EV & EV Charging Point Strategy for Clare, which it is currently developing.
He said, “Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has previously said the Government’s ambition is to have 180,000 EVs on our roads by 2025 and one million by 2030. The lack of adequate infrastructure and the time taken to expand the EV charging point network suggests that these targets are completely unrealistic however.”
“There currently are 38 public EV Charging locations in Clare with 75 charging points, none of which are located in the Killaloe MD,” he explained. “Redressing this shortcoming must be a key priority for the Local Authority and the Department of Transport. Otherwise, tourists using electric vehicles will be deterred from visiting East Clare, while those who live and work there will be potentially deterred from switching to an electric car.”
Deputy McNamara added, “Clare County Council has informed me that engagement with stakeholders including ESB Networks, EV charging companies and retail providers has commenced as part of its strategy. A limited small scale pilot project for the installation of chargers is at the planning stage and suitable sites are being investigated. I would hope that East Clare and the Killaloe MD will be a priority area for the Council.”
Deputy McNamara said every town and large village in Clare should be serviced with an EV Charge Point and that the network would need to be significantly expanded if the Electric Vehicle usage is to be increased in the county.
“Away from East Clare, a number of other large villages and towns remain without an EV point, including Ennistymon, Crusheen, Lissycasey, Kilmaley, Kilbaha, Ruan, Kilfenora, Kildysart, Kilmihil, Corofin, Inagh, Cooraclare, Doonbeg, Quin, Carrigaholt and Ballynacally. Significant investment is required if this government is serious about increasing EV usage in the country. I would hope that the Local Authority and the Department of Transport allocate the necessary funding and resources required to achieve this,” concluded Deputy McNamara.