MORE THAN 50 locations around the country have been earmarked for new electric vehicle charging hubs by the end of this year.

The Department of Transport has confirmed that 175 fast recharging points are due to open at 53 locations in the coming months.

The chargers are located along national roads with a view to improve access to chargers during long journeys.

The new chargers will be found at locations by the N2, N3, N4, N5, N11, N13, N15, N16, N17, N20, N21, N22, and N25.

The Department of Transport has allocated €7.9 million in grants to businesses to install the chargers on their premises.

Encouraging drivers to switch from fossil-fuel powered vehicles to electric ones is part of the government’s plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.

The transport sector has been set a target of cutting its emissions by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2018) as Ireland tries to play its part in fighting the climate crisis – though recent projections from the Environmental Protection Agency show the country still needs to majorly up our game to have any chance of meeting our climate targets.

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has said he hopes the expanded access to electric vehicle chargers on national roads will make “more people feel confident making the switch to electric”. 

Here are the locations of the new charging points due to open by the end of the year.

Cavan

• Circle K, N3
• Weev Charging Station, Burreen, N3
• Cavan Crystal Hotel, N3
• Virginia Service Station, N3

Cork

• Mac’s Place Mallow Plaza, N20
• Lee’s Centra Charleville, N20
• O’Mahony’s SuperValu Mallow, N20
• Charleville Park Hotel, N20
• O’Leary’s Lissarda, N22
• Centra Castlemartyr, N25

Donegal

• Circle K Grange, N15
• Circle K Laghey, N15
• Ballyshannon Service Station, N15
• Kavanagh’s SuperValu Ballybofey, N13
• Weev Charging Station, Burt, N13
• Circle K Bridge End, N13
• Lifford Service Station, N15

Kerry

• Fairtree Cafe, N21
• Centra The Rock, N22
• Centra The Reeks, N22

Kilkenny

• Rhu Glenn Hotel, N25

Leitrim

• Rooney Supervalu Manorhamilton, N16
• Rosebank Retail Park, N4

Limerick

• Weev Charging Station Templeglantine, N21
• Hodkinson’s Centra Patrickswell, N21
• Dooleys Supervalue Newcastle West, N21

Longford

• N4 Axis Centre, N21

Mayo

• McWilliam Park Hotel, N17
• Ballindine Service Station, N17
• Golden Mile Service Station, N5
• Keegan’s Centra Castlebar, N5
• Corrib Oil, N5

Monaghan

• John Bogue Monaghan, N2
• McCaughey’s Service Station, N2
• Centra Emyvale, N2
• O’Gorman’s Supervalu Carrickmacross, N2

Roscommon

• Glancy’s Supervalu Carrick-on-Shannon, N4
• Westward Centra Termonbarry, N5
• Supervalu Strokestown, N5
• Duffy’s Supervalu Ballaghaderreen, N5
• McLoughlin’s Service Station Ballaghaderreen, N5

Sligo

• Applegreen Carraroe, N4
• Whiteside’s SuperValu Ballisodare, N4
• Supervalu Tubbercurry, N17
• Ballinaboola Drive Service Station, Sligo, N17

Waterford

• Applegreen Lemybrien, N25
• Kilmeaden Business Centre, N25

Westmeath

• Ballinalack Service Station, N4
• Weev Charging Station, Rathowen, N4

Wexford

• O’Brien’s Service Station Larkin’s Cross, N25
• Murphy’s Supervalu Rosslare, N25
• Newtown Park Hotel, N11