To ask the Minister for Infrastructure which local councils have applied for funding to support and improve local EV charging network from the fund she outlined in the Assembly on 4 October 2021.

The British Government has made £20 million in grant funding available to local authorities/councils in GB-NI during 2021-22 to provide charge points for residents without off-street parking. I have recently written to councils advising them that I have made available match-funding of circa £350k, subject to public expenditure processes, from within my Department’s Blue Green Fund to assist local councils making an application to the On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS). Accessing the funding, from the Blue Green Fund is dependent on our councils submitting a successful ORCS application and I am disappointed that to date none of our councils have done so.

I would again encourage councils to avail of the ORCS funding which provides a grant for 75% of the capital costs of procuring and installing charge points and associated dedicated parking bays. This funding cannot be accessed by my Department, it is only available to local councils and it is for them to apply individually or collectively. Therefore, should a council make a successful application to ORCS for 75% funding, the 25% match from my Green Blue Fund will mean that the capital costs are fully covered. My Department is also represented, in an advisory capacity, on an ORCS council consortium set up to look at applying for ORCS funding. My officials continue to make themselves available to provide assistance, advice and guidance.

I remain committed to working in partnership with Executive colleagues and others across our islands to help deliver a change in the way we travel that also helps us to tackle the climate crisis.