Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 June 2025
9. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department is developing a scheme to incentivise commercial bus operators to convert their fleet from diesel engines to electric engines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32883/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy responsibility for the matter raised in the question lies with the Department of Transport. However, this Department, in its role in relation to the management and delivery of Ireland’s EU JTF Programme, can provide an update on relevant schemes underway as part of this programme.
The EU Just Transition Fund aims to address employment, economic, social and environmental impacts that come with the shift away from carbon-intense activities. In Ireland, EU JTF is focused on the wider Midlands region which has been impacted by the move away from peat production and electricity generation from peat.
Ireland's EU JTF Programme represents a total commitment of €169m to the just transition process in the Midlands designated territory. The designated areas include counties Laois, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath, and municipal districts of Ballinasloe (Co. Galway), Athy and Clane-Maynooth (Co. Kildare), and Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles (Co. Tipperary).
One of the three strategic investment priorities of the EU JTF Programme is to provide the former peat communities, in the Midlands designated territory, with smart and sustainable mobility options to enable them to benefit directly from the green transition by supporting clean, green mobility to build regional attractiveness and support economic development.
Under Action 3.1 of the Programme, €2m of funding has been allocated to the decarbonisation of public local rural bus route(s) including scoping, installation of electric charging points, and purchase of electric buses in the EU JTF territory.
Under Action 3.2 of the Programme, a further €1m has been allocated to provide support to private bus operators in the EU JTF territory to move to electric vehicles, including consultancy support and support for specific aspects of the electrification upgrade.
These two Schemes are being implemented by the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority (NTA).
