Laois woman bought electric car then found out a big problem
‘I just think it’s very unfair’ Portlaoise councillors speak up on behalf of local drivers
Sales of new electric cars have doubled in Laois but one section of residents are effectively excluded.
People who live in houses without driveways, are not permitted to install car chargers on the street.
As public E-charging costs multiples of the price of a home charger, it effectively stops drivers from switching to eco friendlier motoring.
One lady in Portlaoise even bought her car before she realised she cannot get a charger, according to Portlaoise Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.
It was Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald who raised the alert on the issue, at the September meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.
She has tabled a motion asking Laois County Council to explore and implement suitable measures to facilitate the installation of electric vehicles charging stations for residents of terraced houses, where private off street parking is not available”.
“I know it’s a national issue, but I’m getting more and more people who want to buy an electric car and they can’t because they live in a terraced house. I just think it’s very unfair. We’re hearing all about solar panels, electric cars. But if you really want to buy one and you live in a terraced house, it’s really very difficult,” Cllr Fitzgerald said.
She wants the issue discussed by the Laois Strategic Policy Committee, to “push whoever we can to get some regulation”.
“It’s an issue for people who want to buy an electric car and be able to power it at their own house and not have the expense of going to a public charging spot,” she said.
Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley supports the motion.
“In actual fact I had one woman that came to me who’d actually bought the electric car and then having looked to get the charger, to be told that she wasn’t able to. You’re interfering with the path and no company will take it on. We’ve seen a small few incidents where there was fires. It is a national issue.
“Any road opening licence carried out by any company, they have to reinstate the path the exact way they got it, and where does that cost go for that, to the houseowner?” she said.
Cllr Paddy Buggy said several people have asked him about the issue too.
“It’s annoying for people, as a country we've been pushing people to buy electric vehicles, it’s like putting the horse before the cart. The infrastructure should come first,” he said.
The Government is working on a solution, explained Laois County Council engineer Darren Coss.
“The current edition of the private wires act prohibits persons from placing cables on public thoroughfare that could cause harm to others. In December 2025, Government approved the drafting of the Private Wires Bill. The bill will amend the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 to enable private development of electricity wires in 4 specific circumstances, including to allow on-street charging for EVs,” he said.
Director of Services Simon Walton said he understands that the passing of the Bill is “pretty imminent”.
The council also said that ZEVI is working with local authorities to establish a nationwide strategy to cater for terraced housing using channel kerb solution products.