*Pictured: Councillor James Ryan (SF)
THE Department of Transport have responded to a query by cllr. James Ryan (SF) in relation to the provision of safe places to charge EVs.
The Shannon representative brought forward the motion at a May sitting of Clare County Council.
In the proposal, Ryan asked that the council “ask the relevant Minister to advise how best to allow people that live in flats and terraced houses or houses without driveways how they can safely charge their EV cars”.
“A great deal of people are now choosing to use EV cars but many people in high rise flats or those that have no driveways have no way to charge their cars. The placing of cables across public pathways is a trip hazard. Is there a possibility of setting up communal chargers in areas where people cannot safely charge their cars on their own property?”, he continued.
The local authority subsequently forwarded the motion onto the Department of Transport which is currently headed by Minister Darragh O’Brien TD (FF).
Minister O’Brien has made several recent trips to the Banner County, opening both the Brian Boru Bridge in Killaloe and the Banner Plaza.
Clare County Council then received a response from Amanda Corley, Private Secretary to the minister, who placed the onus on providing safe chargers with the council.
In the letter, Ms. Corley outlined that “Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and cheaper for the consumer as well as assisting in the overall management of the national grid. Over 80% of charging is expected to happen at home”.
The Regional and Local EV Charging Network plan provides a pathway for the accelerated delivery of public destination and neighbourhood charging and will be led by Local Authorities. Local Authorities will be funded by ZEVI to develop local and regional EV charging network strategies and implementation plans”, the Private Secretary continued.
The Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland scheme offers a range of supports for those looking to make the switch from combustion engines including the Vehicle Grant and Home Charging Schemes.
Irish car owners were recently offered €8,500 EV grants in a new government scrappage plan
Clare ranked among the highest counties in Ireland for ‘EV-readiness’ in a 2025 article by Energia with 86 chargers per 100,000 people.
