Five sports clubs in Tipperary eligible for electric vehicle charging points

Over 220 sports clubs across Ireland are eligible to apply for €15m in funding to install new EV Chargers on their grounds for their members and visitors.

From Coleraine to Cork, 227 sports clubs – ranging from golf to GAA – have been deemed eligible to progress to the delivery phase of the Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Infrastructure Scheme.

The list of clubs in Tipperary eligible for the charging points are Upperchurch Drombane GAA club, Roscrea golf club, Cloughjordan FC, Killavilla United AFC, and Rockwell Rovers GAA club.

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.

In total, 48 clubs from across Northern Ireland and 179 from Ireland are now eligible to move to the next stage in the process.

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 should see an important ramping up of public EV charging in local communities across the island and offer the potential for clubs to generate income from those more commercially attractive sites.

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, 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. I want to thank all the volunteers who submitted applications, and I am delighted to see such a high proportion continue to the next phase.”

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “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.”

“These sports clubs chargers are just one part of our national roll-out of a €100m investment in EV Infrastructure that will serve national road, destination and neighbourhood areas as part of Ireland’s EV Infrastructure Strategy. I look forward to seeing them progress now to the next phase and their delivery over coming months,” he said.

Minister for Sport Catherine Martin, said: “By integrating sustainability principles into its operations, activities and events, the sports sector can play a significant role in meeting our environmental and climate change responsibilities, and targets. The development or refurbishment of sports infrastructure needs to be cognisant of our energy reduction and efficiency targets.”

“Sports clubs are at the very heart of our communities and this Scheme supports many of them to play a leading role in sustainability and climate action. The Scheme will enhance existing facilities, and help clubs further support and meet the needs of their members,” she said.

“I am pleased to see such enthusiastic interest in installing EV charging points in so many clubs across the island. This charging infrastructure will play an important role in Ireland’s journey towards sustainability and will enable many members to be even more involved in club life,” she added.

The Scheme received 295 applications in total.

Of these, 227 met qualifying and suitability criteria and are now eligible to apply for the final phase of the scheme.

The main reasons 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.

A full list of the eligible sports clubs is available below and from gov.ie.