Dublin’s Lord Mayor, Ray McAdam, has formally requested that Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, revise regulations hindering the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points for residents without private driveways. The call, made on March 7, 2026, centers on restrictions within Ireland’s “private wires” rules, which currently impede the expansion of on-street EV charging infrastructure.
According to a statement released by Dublin Live, Councillor McAdam believes the existing rules disproportionately affect inner-city households, effectively preventing them from adopting electric vehicles. Many homes in Dublin’s older neighborhoods lack dedicated driveways, leaving residents reliant on public charging stations – a situation McAdam describes as creating a barrier to EV ownership.
“The transition to electric vehicles must work for everyone,” McAdam stated, as reported by Dublin Live. “Across the inner city of Dublin there are thousands of homes where residents park outside their front door on the street and those households cannot safely connect a charger from their home.”
The Lord Mayor highlighted examples from cities in Europe and the United Kingdom, such as Plymouth, which are implementing solutions involving discreet cable channels built into pavements. These allow residents to safely charge vehicles from their homes although maintaining pedestrian access. McAdam is advocating for similar pilot programs in Dublin, contingent on legislative changes to the private wires regulations.
The issue of private wires is central to the debate. Current legislation restricts the ability to supply electricity from a private home to a vehicle parked on the street. McAdam is seeking assurances that revised legislation will permit this practice, enabling a wider rollout of home-to-street EV charging solutions.
Minister O’Brien, who was appointed to his current role on January 23, 2025, also serves as Minister for Transport, according to Gov.ie. He previously held the position of Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage since June 2020. McAdam indicated he would be raising the issue with Minister O’Brien and relevant departments in the coming weeks, seeking a commitment to enabling pilot schemes.
The Lord Mayor’s call for legislative change comes as Dublin City Council focuses on long-term planning for the city’s future, including a Lord Mayor’s Commission on Dublin 2050, aimed at shaping a development strategy for the capital core. However, the immediate focus remains on addressing the regulatory obstacles to EV infrastructure deployment.
