227 sports clubs across island of Ireland eligible for funding for electric vehicle charge points

227 sports clubs across the entire island of Ireland have been deemed as eligible to apply for funding for electric vehicle (EV) charge points.

Up to €15 million is to be provisionally allocated in grants under the Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Scheme. The sports clubs, ranging from GAA to golf, can apply for funding to install new EV chargers on their grounds for members and visitors. 

The eligible sports clubs are now able to progress to the delivery phase of the Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Infrastructure Scheme. In total, 48 clubs from across Northern Ireland and 179 from Ireland are eligible. 

The Scheme is funded through the Government’s Shared Island Initiative and ZEVI infrastructure funding. It covers the cost of installing electric vehicle charge points at sports club facilities affiliated to recognised national governing bodies.

READ NEXT: Students in Galway to test new computer game designed to tackle online grooming

Eligible clubs will be able to draw down funding for the installation of electric vehicle charging, subject to reaching agreement with a Charge Point operator from a pre-approved panel.

This is seen as a significant step towards ramping up public EV charging points in local communities across the island. It also offers the potential for sports clubs to generate income from those more commercially attractive sites. 

In welcoming the announcement, Taoiseach Simon Harris said: “I am delighted to see such a strong response to the Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Scheme. This is another example of the good work carried out by sports clubs across the entire country and the people involved who are making a positive impact in their towns and villages on this island.

“The €15m allocation from the Shared Island fund will help enhance access to public charging across our towns, villages and cities.”

Tánaiste Micheál Martin, has said: “The Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging scheme is another great example of the role sports clubs can play in the heart of their local communities. This infrastructure will be a wonderful resource, helping create a sustainable, shared future on this island.”

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan added: “Our aim is to ensure that we have strategically placed EV chargers that match people’s own everyday activities and behaviours. It makes perfect sense therefore that when people go to their local sports clubs, whether it’s to drop off kids, watch a match, play a round of golf or get onto the training field themselves, they can top-up their EV charge while they are there.

Minister Ryan said that this initiative is just one aspect of the “national roll-out of a €100m investment in EV Infrastructure”.

In total, 295 sports club applied to the scheme and of these, 227 met the suitability criteria. Some of the main reasons why some applications were unsuccessful were not satisfying some minimum requirements including – no license submitted to facilitate site visits, no 3-phase electricity and/or no toilet facilities on site or within 500m.