A plea has been made to make every electricity utility pole across Ireland available as EV charging points to improve access across the country.

Calling for better EV access to help reduce carbon emissions, Fine Gael Senator John McGahon said: "In the city of Melrose in Massachusetts they have made great strides in using utility poles as EV chargers. Through a mobile app, users can scan a QR code located on the pole and automatically open a charging cable that lowers to the ground and extends the length of two car park spaces. It is safe and accessible.

-- Advertisement --

"We must ensure EV charging points are more widely available here if we are serious about our ambitious target of having one million electric vehicles on our roads by 2030.

"In the Seanad I recently raised the issue of people in apartment blocks or houses with no driveway, and I am pleased to say that Government is examining ways to extend the EV home charger grant to these types of accommodation. To supplement this, I believe we should also be looking at using our easily accessible utility poles as charging points."