Free Electric Vehicle Charging for MLAs at Stormont
Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLAs) who drive electric vehicles (EVs) have access to free charging facilities at Stormont, even though they already receive travel expenses.
EV charging points have been installed behind Parliament Buildings for use by assembly members and staff.
MLAs are entitled to an annual allowance for attending Stormont, which can be worth nearly £7,000 for those travelling the longest distances.
Critics have described this arrangement as "ludicrous," while the Northern Ireland Assembly stated it "supports more sustainable travel choices."
The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) criticized the setup, suggesting the public could be "effectively paying twice for MLAs to travel to Stormont."
An assembly spokesperson noted that the rise of EVs is a "relatively recent development" and indicated the issue would likely be "considered in future reviews of member allowances."
Details of EV Charging Facilities and Usage
There are six EV charging points located in an upper car park at Stormont, which is not accessible to the general public.
These charging points are available to MLAs, party support staff, and assembly employees through a daily booking system.
"The charging points are free of charge to users," the assembly confirmed to NI in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
The assembly also stated that no "metered data" from the EV chargers is held to confirm the total costs to the public purse.
An assembly spokesperson later added that records are only retained on a "short-term basis," and bookings for one week in May cost approximately £325.
Additionally, a nearby visitors' car park on the Stormont estate has two EV charging points that are not free to use.
The assembly collects revenue from these points, charging a tariff of 32p per kilowatt hour (kWh), which equates to an estimated £20 to fully charge a medium-sized battery.
Assembly Travel Allowances
Under Stormont expenses rules, MLAs can claim an annual travel allowance for journeys to Parliament Buildings.
The allowance ranges from about £660 for MLAs representing constituencies closest to Stormont, up to £6,780 for those travelling the furthest distances.
The amount claimable is also adjusted based on attendance levels.
Stormont ministers do not receive the assembly travel allowance, as they have official cars for executive business.
Booking Records and MLA Usage
In its FOI response, the assembly stated that records of who booked slots for the charging points in recent years are "not retained."
NI has observed several MLAs' cars using the six free charging points in recent weeks.
The five main parties at Stormont were contacted for comment and asked to confirm whether any of their MLAs have used the free EV charging points while also claiming assembly travel allowances.
Four parties did not respond, while Sinn Féin provided a statement that did not address the questions.
A Sinn Féin spokesperson said the party "does not hold any information in relation to MLA modes of transport."
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston stated that his party had "observed MLAs from various (other) parties using the charging points."
He urged those MLAs "to be clear with the public" and warned that "failure to do so will profoundly undermine confidence in MLAs."
Gaston further described the EV charging arrangements as creating a "ludicrous situation" where the public could be "effectively paying twice for MLAs to travel to Stormont."
"Coming so soon after MLAs received a pay rise worth more than 27%, this controversy will only deepen the growing public perception that Stormont has become a gravy train for the political establishment."
Assembly's Position on Sustainable Travel
In a statement, the Northern Ireland Assembly said that MLAs charging EVs at Parliament Buildings "does not affect entitlement to travel allowances."
A spokesperson explained that MLA travel allowances are "designed to cover the general costs of travel," including vehicle taxes, insurance, and maintenance.
The Assembly Commission, which manages Parliament Buildings and includes MLAs from the five main parties, is "committed to minimising environmental impact across its operations."
"The provision of charging facilities at Parliament Buildings supports more sustainable travel choices," the assembly spokesperson added.
EV Charging Policies in Other Parliaments
Different parliaments have varying policies regarding EV charging points.
The House of Commons in the UK offers MPs and peers access to 14 fast EV charging bays on the parliamentary estate, which operate with a payment system.
The Scottish Parliament provides several EV charging points for elected members. Currently, there is no fee for their use, but proposals are being developed with the manufacturer to implement a billing system.
In the Republic of Ireland, the Oireachtas (the Irish houses of parliament) requires TDs (Teachta Dála, Irish MPs) and senators to pay for EV charger usage.
The Welsh Parliament was also approached for comment on their EV charging policies.
