Are fuel prices pushing you towards an EV?

The government would argue that somebody living in those apartments will have ample secure bicycle parking and a never delayed bus/train/tram running 24/7 outside their front door so don't need a car at all, EV or ICE. We know the reality is very very different

Under Eamonn Ryan's tenure as minister we saw greenhouse gas emissions increase nationally and the sales of EVs fall. You could argue it wasn't entirely his fault but he was the reason things like the EV and solar grants were cut

Exactly - Eamonn Ryan was far from perfect but as I say at least he attempted to progress the green agenda. I can't think of 1 green initiative I've heard of from Darragh O'Brien since he took office. I'd admit to being casual news reader etc rather than hardcore environmentalist but 1 year in I'm asking "What has he done".

The “Greens” were too much associated with tax increases and not enough around innovation, developing new green energy businesses etc.

there’s “popularity” to be made with the public for the right party to show how they’re generating sustainable employment as well as keeping peoples bills down.
But if every solution is just “more tax” or huge penalties on ICE cars which essentially the Green Party were about, you’re not going to survive long, no matter how admirable your cause is.

I’d like to see more investment in sustainable energy - if I knew my tax dollars were being used for this then I wouldn’t object to a modest increase. But as we’ve seen with the National children’s hospital, you can’t trust the government to organise a piss up in a brewery- that cost as quadrupled and you can’t blame Covid and the war in Ukraine for all of that increase- incompetence is at the heart of it.

I expect to see increases in EV motor tax very soon - I think that’s a given- and likely greater increases in ICE cars motor tax too to ensure there’s still incentive to switch.
But they need to sort out charging for houses without driveways and apartments - I’d say there’s a fair wave of people waiting to buy EV right now who don’t, because of lack of home charging.
Maybe exploring discounted public charging for those who can’t install their own charger is the way to go.

June 2023 they were 50% of new cars sold, that was the peak and the sales largely collapsed from there

Solar panel grants in 2024 were €1800, EV grants were €3,500. In 2020, before he started his cuts, the Solar was over 3k and the EV grant was 10k. He was asked on the radio if he was worried about the slump in EV sales and the resultant increase in our countries greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 and he said basically that people should be on bicycles

And some have none at all

That's absolutely crazy and so typical of planning in this country. Realistically, bar you live in the city centre most families will need one car minimum. Why not assign a parking space, with a charging point, as well as solar panels on the roof to provide electricity back to the grid or reduce the electricity bill in the house in general. You'd have thought running an EV cable from the house wouldn't exactly cost that much.

I have no issue with only 1 parking space being provided per house, and then communal parking elsewhere if somebody wants/needs two. But provide 1 FFS!

We completely lack any form of joined up thinking in how we plan. Its so poor and backward.

I get exactly what you mean and yes the reasons you give are exactly why. And yes it would push the price up a bit but over the lifetime of the house its being penny wise and pound foolish.

Even if the government had to pay a subsidy for the solar panels its still a lifetime investment in cheap renewable energy. Its a glorious opportunity being missed here unfortunately.

Predicted by who? EV's only accounted for 20% of new car registrations in Q1

Why do you think we need so much gas?

Hint it’s needed a backup for wind and solar

Here is what 9GW of unreliable Irish wind and solar doing right now and today from Eirgrid on a day with 5GW peak demand coming up about now