Motorists are steering clear of electric cars because the Republic does not have enough charging points, according to a leading auto industry figure. James McCarthy, chief executive of Nissan Ireland, told the Association of Chartered Accountants’ (ACCA) business leaders’ forum that the problem could prevent the State from hitting its target of getting a million electric vehicles on the road by 2030.

“The pace of development in the public charging network is out of kilter with Government targets and is deterring many motorists from swapping out their fossil fuel car and is slowing the uptake of electromobility,” he said.

“The new government needs to make investing in the public charging infrastructure an urgent priority.”

Tax breaks Caitríona Allis, head of ACCA Ireland, pointed out that while motorists got tax breaks for owning electric vehicles, the lack of charging points was hindering their expansion.