97. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport to report on the zero-emissions heavy duty vehicle purchase grant and zero-emissions heavy duty vehicle infrastructure grant schemes, including the number of applications received and funding drawn down since their inception; the steps he will take to encourage and increase uptake among those in the haulage and farming sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31741/26]

Sentiment score: 0.29

I would like to ask the Minister about the electrification of our heavy goods vehicles fleet and for a report on the zero-emissions heavy duty vehicle purchase grant and zero-emissions heavy duty vehicle infrastructure grant schemes, including the number of applications received and funding drawn down since their inception; the steps he will take to encourage and increase uptake among those in the haulage and farming sectors.

Sentiment score: 0.91

I ask this question in the context of the €500 million package with no strings attached announced for the haulage and farming sectors. While we recognise the need for these packages, we also have to recognise this exists because of fossil fuel dependence in those sectors and it is in many ways a subsidy to the fossil fuel industry. As part of a just transition, we must make this choice easy for hauliers in particular to decide to purchase zero-emission vehicles. The figures are not great. In 2025, of 2,564 HGVs purchased in Ireland just 1.09% were zero emission. The grants available are not availed of to the full extent either - about 50% are not being availed of. What will the Minister do to encourage the use of them?

Sentiment score: 0.05

No country is doing particularly well in this area but even across Europe 4.5% of HGVs are zero emission and we are only at just over 1%. In China, it is up to 25%. It is leading the world in this regard. The charging infrastructure grant is important because hauliers say to us they cannot avail of this not only because of the cost of the vehicles but also the lack of infrastructure. My understanding of that grant is that €1 million was allocated last year, less than €200,000 was spent and €188,000 of that was on administrative costs. I think only one grant was availed of in that whole infrastructure scheme. Improving that has to be looked at. I ask the Minister to increase the price differential in the purchase grant scheme to 100% to incentivise, so there is no cost differential between a diesel or electric vehicle purchase. At the moment, there is still a cost to the haulier in making that decision.

Sentiment score: 0.14