The Irish Government has announced that 53 new electric car fast charging points will start to open by the end of this year, following applications for a new round of grant funding.
How much funding is being handed out?
According to Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien, an allocation of almost €8 million will be provided to support grants for recharging infrastructure at the selected sites. O'Brien said: “We're taking real, practical steps to make electric vehicles work for everyone. With more chargers, more choice, and more support, we hope even more people will feel confident making the switch to electric. These high-powered chargers are a key step in that process. We're committed to building a sustainable and cleaner transport system, and that means making it easy to charge wherever you are.”
How many chargers are we actually talking about?
According to the Department of Transport, across the 53 sites which have applied for the €8 million in grant funds, there will be 175 actual connectors, which will be fast and ultra-fast recharging points. In line with EU legislation, the plan is eventually to have fast and ultra-fast chargers at no more than a 60km interval along motorways and main roads. This phase of the initiative focused on over 1,200km of national single carriageway roads, and is funded through the Light Duty Vehicle (LDV) initiative operated by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI). Peter Walsh, CEO of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), said: “Working in partnership with ZEVI and the private sector, this scheme is helping us build the kind of infrastructure people can rely on: fast, efficient and accessible.”
This move follows on from funding for 131 new high-power recharging points at 17 locations along the motorway network, which was previously announced, and there's another round of grants which is currently open for applications, for locations covering another 3,000km of the national road network. That round closes at the end of June.
Where will the new chargers be?
Right, deep breath - the 53 new charging locations will be:
- Circle K Ireland Ltd – Circle K, Cavan, Cavan (N3)
- Weev Charging Ltd – WN506 (Burreen), Cavan (N3)
- Cavan Crystal Hotel – Cavan Crystal Hotel, Cavan (N3)
- Virginia Service Station – Virginia Service Station, Cavan (N3)
- Mac's Place Mallow Plaza – Mac's Place Mallow Plaza, Cork (N20)
- Lee's Centra – Lee's Centra Charleville, Cork (N20)
- Dano's Supervalu – O'Mahony's SuperValu Mallow, Cork (N20)
- Charleville Park Hotel – Charleville Park Hotel, Cork (N20)
- O'Leary's Lissarda – O'Leary's Lissarda, Cork (N22)
- Ahern Barry Ltd t/a Centra Carrigtwohil – Centra Carrigtwohill, Cork (N25)
- Simon Ahern Supermarkets Ltd – Centra Castlemartyr, Cork (N25)
- Circle K Ireland – Circle K, Grange, Donegal (N15)
- Robert Kee – Circle K, Laghey, Donegal (N15)
- Centra Ballyshannon Service Station – Ballyshannon Service Station, Donegal (N15)
- Kavanagh's SuperValu Ballybofey – Kavanagh's SuperValu Ballybofey, Donegal (N13)
- Weev Charging Ltd – WN504 (Burt), Donegal (N13)
- Joseph Rafferty Oil Ltd – Circle K Bridge End, Donegal (N13)
- McGettigans Applegreen Lifford – Lifford Service Station, Donegal (N15)
- Fairtree Ltd – Fairtree Cafe, Kerry (N21)
- Centra The Rock – Centra The Rock, Kerry (N22)
- Killarney Centra Reeks Ltd – Centra The Reeks, Kerry (N22)
- The Rhu Glenn Hotel – Rhu Glenn Hotel, Kilkenny (N25)
- Rooneys Supervalu Manorhamilton – Rooney Supervalu Manorhamilton, Leitrim (N16)
- Rosebank Retail Park – Rosebank Retail Park, Leitrim (N4)
- Weev Charging Ltd – WN502 (Templeglantine), Limerick (N21)
- Hodkinson's Centra & Top Oil – Hodkinson's Centra Patrickswell, Limerick (N21)
- Dooleys Newcastle West – Dooleys SuperValu Newcastle West, Limerick (N21)
- N4 Axis Centre Longford – N4 Axis Centre Longford, Longford (N4)
- McWilliam Park Hotel – McWilliam Park Hotel, Mayo (N17)
- Shedan Ltd – Ballindine Service Station, Mayo (N17)
- Golden Mile Service Station – Golden Mile Service Station, Mayo (N5)
- Centra Castlebar – Keegans Centra Castlebar, Mayo (N5)
- Corrib Oil – Corrib Oil, Mayo (N5)
- John Bogue Monaghan Ltd – John Bogue Monaghan, Monaghan (N2)
- McCaughey's Service Station – McCaughey's Service Station, Monaghan (N2)
- Centra Emyvale – Centra Emyvale, Monaghan (N2)
- O'Gorman's SuperValu – O' Gorman's SuperValu Carrickmacross, Monaghan (N2)
- Glancy's SuperValu Ltd – Glancy's SuperValu Carrick on Shannon, Roscommon (N4)
- Westward Centra Termonbarry – Westward Centra Termonbarry, Roscommon (N5)
- Supervalu Strokestown – Supervalu Strokestown, Roscommon (N5)
- Duffys SuperValu Ballaghaderreen – Duffys SuperValu Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon (N5)
- McLoughlin's Service Station – McLoughlin's Service Station Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon (N5)
- Applegreen Electric – Applegreen Carraroe, Sligo (N4)
- Whiteside's SuperValu Ballisodare – Whiteside's SuperValu Ballisodare, Sligo (N4)
- Surlis SuperValu Tubbercurry – SuperValu Tubbercurry, Sligo (N17)
- Drive Service Stations Ltd – BallinaboolaDrive, Sligo (N17)
- Applegreen Electric – Applegreen Lemybrien, Waterford (N25)
- Kilmeaden Business Centre – Kilmeaden Business Centre, Waterford (N25)
- The Western Gem – Ballinalack Service Station, Westmeath (N4)
- Weev Charging Ltd – WN501 (Rathowen), Westmeath (N4)
- Shelmalier Trading Co. Ltd. – O'Brien's Service Station Larkin's Cross, Wexford (N25)
- Murphys SuperValu Rosslare – Murphys SuperValu Rosslare, Wexford (N25)
- Newtown Park Hotel – Newtown Park Hotel, Wexford (N11)