DONEGAL could be missing out on tourism revenue due to a lack of charging points for electric vehicles, it has been claimed.
Raising the issue at the monthly meeting of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Ali Farren called on the local authority to “do more in every way to increase the number of public charging stations” as he felt it was “lagging behind” other counties.
The Malin Head based public representative highlighted how visitors with electric vehicles (EVs) will check their apps or maps for charging points before they travel.
In an official reply, Cllr. Farren was told that Donegal Co. Council is currently engaged in the development of a new strategy regarding the infrastructure of chargers for electric vehicles.
Bryan Cannon, Director of Service, Roads and Transportation, told him that for the majority of EV users, home charging will remain the main solution, but options will be provided for those who cannot charge at home.
An important aspect of the plans going forward will be to ensure that EV charging systems “will be interoperable and as simple to use as possible,” he added.
He explained that the first tranche of funding for EV chargers was for motorways and the second tranche for non-motorway national roads.
He also noted that Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) was established in July 2022 as a dedicated office within the Department of Transport to support consumers, the public sector, and businesses in continuing to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles.
In order to achieve this ZEVI have developed the National EV Charging Network Plan.
Donegal County Council is the lead authority for the west and north of the Wild Atlantic Way and includes the local authorities in Clare, Galway County, Mayo and Sligo.
The development of the strategy as part of the third tranche of the overall policy will include consultation with both the public and elected members.
Supporting the motion, Cllr. Joy Beard expressed concern about the decline in North American tourists this year and agreed with the need to have more charging points.
Other councillors also recognised the need for additional charging points, especially along the Wild Atlantic Way.
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