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Politicians and staff of the Oireachtas have been benefiting from rates way below the market standard since the introduction of charging stations in the country’s most exclusive car park.
The kWh (kilowatt-hour) rate that applies is just 30 cent compared to rates of between 47 and 59 cent for the most commonly used public facilities. The cheap prices also exclude all costs involved in the provision of the charging facilities, with the OPW having footed the bill for that work.
It is understood the Oireachtas is losing money through the subsidised service and has now confirmed a review is under way.
A spokeswoman for Leinster House said: “Increasing the rate charged per kWh for EV charging is under consideration by the facilities management unit. Any increase in the rates would be subject to approval through the proper governance channels, namely the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission.”
Charging points are available at Leinster House, Dublin
The rates being charged are not reflected either in the generous annual travel and accommodation allowances available to TDs and senators. This allowance — which ranges between €5,250 and €34,065 per year depending on how far a politician lives from Dublin — is based on civil service mileage rates for standard petrol or diesel vehicles.
However, no change has been made to reflect the fact that some members are using electric vehicles and offered a facility to charge them at way below market prices.
Asked about whether any consideration had been given to reviewing the allowance payments for users of EVs, the spokeswoman said it wasn’t up to the Oireachtas.
“The rates set for the payment of travel and accommodation allowance (TAA) is a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure,” she said.
The e-charging rates were even lower in the past and during an initial two-year trial period, there was no cost at all.
Late last year, a new mobile app system was introduced
An information note said: “Initially the electricity costs were not recouped. The costs were negligible, and it was agreed that we would not recoup from members as members of the public did not have to pay to use ESB EV-charging points units at that time.”
When more permanent e-charging infrastructure was introduced in 2021, the rate was set at just 18 cent per kilowatt hour.
By the first quarter of 2023, it had jumped to 26 cent, but in the second quarter it was dropped to 23 cent after a new public sector deal was signed cutting energy bills for a myriad of public bodies.
Oireachtas is losing money through the subsidised service and has now confirmed a review is under way. Stock image
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – February 23rd
The price rose again in the third quarter of 2023 to 25 cent, before a short-lived increase to 29 cent at the end of that year.
The Oireachtas again chose to cut the rate for the first nine months of last year to 25 cent, before settling on the current 30 cent kWh rate in the final quarter of last year.
Late last year, a new mobile app system was introduced, which meant TDs, senators and staff have to pay upfront for e-charging.
An information note said: “From quarter four of 2024, the Oireachtas Service fully moved the EV charging system from invoice-based to a mobile phone application ‘pay-as-you-go’ system.”
However, the amount of money reclaimed since the introduction of charging at the Leinster House complex has been miniscule.
Between January 2022 and November 2024, just €7,526 was collected in payments, according to records released under Freedom of Information. A further €531 was paid by users through the new mobile app in the final nine months of last year, documents showed.
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