In 2019, the Irish Government stated its objective to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2030, they also want to have one million electric cars on Irish roads by the same date.
As it stands, there is widespread concern regarding this proposal as it is unachievable and not in line with EU law.
At present, cars in Ireland are estimated to emit between 10-12% of greenhouse gases. The EU has already set out plans to reduce these to zero by 2040 across Europe. And, for manufactures to be carbon neutral by 2050. Any manufactures who fail to meet these targets will be heavily fined. So, car manufactures are already aligned and determined to reach their 2040 targets. But other legislation can be counterproductive to achieving this.
Because motorists are now unsure about what they should do. This means they’re holding on to older combustible cars which give off more emissions. And they’re hesitant about buying newer combustible models which are actually part of the solution – as they significantly reduce emissions.
That’s why we’re calling for a credible national strategy that will allow motorists to make smarter decisions, based on more realistic timelines.
We think it’s clear neither the timeline, the legislation or the economics make sense for the Irish Government to pursue their 2030 plan. That’s why we believe a 2040 strategy is a more pragmatic and affordable solution.
Official reaction to the budget 2021 announcement . 13th October 2020
The ban was proposed based on flawed and incomplete data and would also have been illegal under EU law. 08th October 2020
Official reaction to the budget 2021 announcement . 13th October 2020
The ICCRA is calling on the Green Party & the Govt. to respond to compelling evidence that Ireland will miss its emission targets for cars
Denis Murphy ICCRA in conversation with Fran Curry on Tipp Today regarding the upcoming budget VRT & the effects on the car market.
The ICCRA is calling on the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD to make new cars affordable. September 17th, 2020