Irish MP calls for more investment in public EV charging stations

New demands for a drastic increase in EV chargers throughout Ireland have attracted considerable attention. At Wattcharger, we empathize with the frustration of waiting for the electric vehicle infrastructure to catch up.

The calls were made by Colm Markey, a Member of the European Parliament for Midlands-Northwest, who stated that EV charging stations should be available every 15 minutes by road. Markey's appeal precedes the release of the National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2025. The report will outline the Irish government's plan to invest €100 million in public charging options over the next three years. According to the proposal, EV chargers will be installed at least every 60 km across the country's road network.

According to the ESB, there are 1,350 public EV chargers in Ireland, with 234 of them located in County Dublin and the surrounding commuter towns. Markey has been advocating for more EV chargers in his constituency, which encompasses most of northern Leinster, Connacht, and Donegal, as well as highlighting the need for more charging hubs in rural areas.

Speaking to the Roscommon Herald, Markey emphasized that "EV infrastructure guidelines will be decided at the EU level, and the European Parliament has already endorsed charging stations every 60 km on main roads by 2026." However, he emphasized the necessity of going beyond this, to ensure that rural Ireland is not left behind and that EV charging points are easily accessible for everyone, regardless of whether they live in Bundoran or Ballsbridge.

Markey also referred to other EU countries, such as Germany, that are investing heavily in the charging network in rural and outlying areas. The German government is presently implementing their €1.8 billion scheme, 'Deutschlandnetz,' to make chargers accessible to drivers every few minutes.

The Irish government has set an ambitious target of having 950,000 EVs on the road by the end of the decade. Green Party leader Eamonn Ryan emphasized that investing in making charging points accessible to rural communities around Ireland is critical to achieving that goal. "Change is happening. We are starting to roll out public transport solutions, bus services, and the electrification of our transport system. It's a colossal challenge, beyond comparison," Ryan continued.

When it comes to electric car chargers, Ireland is still lagging behind the EU average, ranking 17th out of 27 member countries. Surprisingly, France, Germany, and the Netherlands account for over 60% of all charging points, despite representing just over 20% of the EU's total area. As it stands, Ireland only has 0.5% of all charging points in the EU.

If you are feeling frustrated by the lack of public EV chargers in Ireland, Wattcharger can provide a tailor-made quote that will allow you to evaluate the option of installing a home charger yourself. Contact us below for a free quote from our team of EV experts, who will take your specific circumstances into account or review your EV charging options here.