- Ireland launches ‘EU community facilities EV charging scheme’.
- The move will roll out chargepoints across community facilities in a number of counties across the country.
- The scheme is part of the EU’s larger Just Transition Fund (JTF).
Ireland gets fast-charge EV charging funding
The Irish government has announced a €15m investment aided by the European Union to build fast EV chargers across several counties, covering public areas including community centres, libraries, hospitals, recreational areas, and enterprise zones. Eligible facilities can apply to the scheme to get public chargers installed, but applications will close at the end of September, which are being managed by Pobal.
The scheme is part of the European Union’s Just Transition Fund, which is used to support territories across the Union particularly affected by the route to net-zero, ensuring they are not left behind – the Irish areas covered by the scheme are currently moving away from peat as an energy source.
Can other EU members take advantage?
Any EU member can apply to the scheme, but they will need to send their justification for why that area needs extra funding to help it on the route to climate neutrality. The scheme has a total fund of €17.5bn, though this also goes to areas other than emobility such as clean energy and worker reskilling.
The move will help the European Union’s push to zero-emission emobility, particularly if the area is to keep firm to its commitment to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2035. Additionally, the Union plans to bring greenhouse gas emissions down 55% by 2030, compared to equivalent levels in 1990.
This news follows the Irish government’s wider EV charging infrastructure strategy, which allocates €100m to be spent on public charging across the country until 2025. The EU has also mandated that fast-chargers will be required every 60km on major routes, something that Ireland will have to meet too.
“The EU JTF Community Facilities EV Charging Scheme is an example of how the Government and the European Union are working together to connect communities with smart and sustainable mobility options to benefit directly from the green transition. Directed specifically at the wider Midlands region, this is one of many initiatives we are taking to accelerate the transition towards a greener, more sustainable transport system and to boost the uptake of electric vehicles across the region”.
Eamon Ryan, Minister for Transport, Ireland
