Plugging into a better future - Promoting electric transport

As Taoiseach Enda Kenny presses European leaders to grant special concessions to Ireland on reducing climate changing emissions any measure that will help us reduce our carbon footprint must be welcomed and embraced.

Electric cars are one of the measures that can make a significant if not game-changing contribution to that process. The Drive4Zero initiative to promote greater use of electric cars recognises that need and focuses on an area that offers considerable potential for reform as transport is the biggest growth area in carbon emissions.

The initiative, which is being led by the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food and Defence, Simon Coveney, hopes to double the number of electric cars used on our roads within 12 months. To achieve this, electric car users will enjoy free parking, free charging, free charge points, zero deposit and zero percent finance and road tolls will be waived. These are precisely the kind of measures that will help change our dependence on carbon-fuelled cars.

Of course these are the hard-sell, short-term measures needed to help many of us change our conservative positions on transport, but the longer-term pay-off outweighs all of these benefits put together — a reduction in the pollution that is threatening our security and our way of life. Despite all of the excitements colouring our public discourse and politics there can hardly be a more important issue.