Councillor campaigns for EV charging point in Cahir for motorbiker tourists

Pressure has been put on Tipperary County Council to install an electric vehicle charging station for motorbikes at the Castle Car Park in Cahir.

But the council wants clarity first on whether this function is under its remit.

Independent Cllr Andy Moloney pressed for the provision of this EV charging point at a recent county council meeting.

He reminded council officials there were currently no EV charging points in Cahir and he had raised this issue time and time again with the local authority.

Cllr Moloney outlined that Cahir Farmers’ Market, which operates from Cahir Castle Car Park, secured funding to install an electric power pillar where vans and other vehicles selling food at the market could plug into for refrigeration or cooking.

He argued all that was needed was for a connection to be created at this pillar for a motorbike charging point.

“We have everything in place. We just need the connection,” he appealed.

Cllr Moloney warned Cahir’s tourism industry was going to be at an economic disadvantage if investment wasn’t made in EV charging points in the town. He pointed out that many motorcyclists travelling to Ireland from the European continent were now driving electric motorbikes.

The council’s Director of Roads, Transportation & Infrastructure, Marcus O’Connor, responded that clarity was needed in relation to who provides this infrastructure.

He argued that local authorities couldn’t be expected to fund EV charging points out of their own resources. It was a national issue that required clarity.

Mr O’Connor explained there were long term charges associated with EV charging points levied by the ESB that can be very substantial.

“Why should the local authority be paying this. There needs to be a clear policy as to how these things are going to be managed and funded into the future,” the Director of Services added.