Grants available for potential e-car users

by Gráinne Connolly

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council were made aware of grants that are available for potential electric car drivers at a recent council meeting. 

The e-car incentive was discussed at the meeting including rotating charge points in the district, as well as encouraging people to move forward with using electric vehicles. 

Councillor Josephine Deehan stated that a charging point would be moved to Belleek in County Fermanagh from Maguiresbridge. 

Initially it was supposed to be moved to Omagh, however it was established at previous council meetings that a charge point was needed in the local area in order to keep with the incentive to move people forward with e-cars. 

The council also received a letter of correspondence from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, David Sterling, regarding the outline of initiatives put in place to encourage e-car participation and the buying of these cars across Northern Ireland. 

While the information was "scant" as Councillor Thomas O'Reilly described it, the letter indicated that there are grants available for potential electric vehicle users. 

Mr Sterling wrote: 

"OLEV (office for low emission vehicles) continue to support the development of the sustainable transport sector having put in place a £600m programme of support for the early market. 

"This investment funds a range of grants for vehicles and charge points, as well as research and development support. 

"From a Northern Ireland perspective we have installed infrastructure which is commensurate with the level of growth and is managed in the private sector without any major public funding. 

"In addition potential electric vehicle drivers in Northern Ireland can avail of grants up to £4500 for a car and up to £8000 for a van alongside grants for home and workplace charging facilities. 

" The funding opportunities provided by OLEV are closeley monitored by the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) and, where appropriate, bids for funding will be pursued. 

"It should be noted however these opportunities are generally competition based and open to public and private sector bodies in the UK and as such I would encourage council to avail of any opportunities which may arise. 

"The ecar team in DFI will be happy to assist with any queries you may have about the procedural aspects of any grant application." 

Councillor Thomas O'Reilly also raised the issue that it's likely people in the Fermanagh and Omagh district are unaware of this grant that's available. 

He says: 

"Are people aware that there is a grant of 4,500 for a car and 8,000 for a van and a grant of help for a home or business charging point.

"Maybe if we could find out what has been the uptake, has that been something that people in the Fermanagh and Omagh area have known about and have taken up or is it a well kept secret and only a few around Belfast have taken it up."

The full letter of correspondence can be read below: 

E-cars - executive office correspondence