Low earners should be given €10k grant to buy electric vehicles in effort to cut emissions — report

Lower earners should be given grants of up to €10,000 to switch to electric vehicles to help Ireland cut its transport emissions, the Climate Change Advisory Council has said.
In its annual report on the transport sector, the council said even in the most optimistic scenario, our emissions are expected to significantly exceed targets by 2030, and the Government must act now to turn the tide.
'Transport is Ireland's biggest source of energy demand, and emissions from the sector must reduce by half if the sector is meet its target,' the council's chair Marie Donnelly said.
To achieve this, urgent and decisive action must now be taken by Government to end our reliance on fossil fuels and deliver the kind of transformative change that is required in this sector.
Ending the reliance on 'harmful and expensive' fossil fuels is key to this, with an increase in new battery electric vehicle registrations needed.
It recommended grants of up to €10,000 on electric vehicles costing less than €35,000 for lower-income households, particularly in areas with limited access to public transport.
Furthermore, the council said there needed to be an accelerated roll-out of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure alongside an 'ambitious' roll-out of electricity network reinforcement.
Separately, it also recommended an expansion of the school transport scheme and wider improvements in public transport services.
About one in five journeys are for the purpose of education, with journeys by car resulting in significant air quality issues near schools, increased transport emissions and congestion.
'The Government must shift more of these journeys onto buses, trains, walking and cycling. This will require further funding, a renewed focus on road safety and easier access to sustainable travel options,' it said.
Highlighting recent storms such as Darragh and Éowyn, which demonstrated how vulnerable Ireland's transport infrastructure can be, further measures should be taken to reflect the risks we face from extreme weather and climate change.
The council said progress in identifying climate risks and vulnerabilities, as well as investment in mitigation measures, had been slower in rail, aviation and maritime sectors.
Ms Donnelly added the Government must scale up investment to improve the climate resilience of vulnerable and critical transport infrastructure.
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