Sporting clubs urged to sign up for electric vehicle charging scheme

With expressions of interest now being accepted, sporting clubs across the country have been urged to sign up to the Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Scheme.

“The Shared Island Sport Club EV Charging Scheme will support the roll out of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging points at sports club facilities across the island of Ireland. Sports clubs, from GAA to rugby, soccer and more, can now express an interest to their National Governing Body to install EV charging infrastructure. This must be as simple as possible and accessible by all EV drivers” Minister Pippa Hackett said.

The Sports Club EV Charging Scheme has been developed and will be implemented in partnership with Pobal, as well as sports organisations across the island including Sports Ireland, the National Governing Bodies for Sports (NGB’s), like the GAA, IRFU and FAI and their local affiliated sports clubs/member clubs. 

Minister Hackett said: “The scheme will be cost-neutral for clubs who are selected and who meet the terms and conditions of the scheme, including that the charge point remains publicly accessible. I see this as a wonderful opportunity for Sports Clubs, central to our communities, to play a part and benefit from the transition to electric vehicles. When people drop off kids or go to the club for their own use, they can charge their car at the same time.”

“This €15m initiative is part of a wider EV Charging strategy which will see €100 million spent on public charging infrastructure over the next three years. The strategy presents an ambitious pathway and practical steps for delivery of a national EV charging network which will see a pool of high-powered chargers every 60 km on our motorway network as well as home/apartment charging, residential neighbourhood charging (including new mobility hubs), destination charging and en-route charging.”

She urged clubs to get moving on their expression of interest.  "Please don’t delay in sending your expression of interest to your NGB as these Governing Bodies must submit a completed Expression of Interest Template to Pobal, which is administering the Scheme, by 5pm, 28 February 2023," Minister Hackett said.