skip to main content

No decision on 'additional tolls' - Dempsey

Roads - Calls for tolls to be reduced on some routes
Roads - Calls for tolls to be reduced on some routes

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has told the Dáil that no decisions had yet been made on additional tolling on specific national roads.

During Minister's Questions, Mr Dempsey said he would be informing his Cabinet colleagues on a future tolling strategy shortly.

Fine Gael's Simon Coveney called on the minister to publish the report on tolling strategy so that the Dáil could debate the issue.

Mr Coveney asked how tolling companies had responded to the recent National Road Authority request that five tolling stations reduce their toll prices in line with deflation.

Minister Demspey said the NRA report had not been brought to Cabinet.

He said it was the NRA's responsibility to reduce prices as it was a contractual matter between it and the tolling companies.

The minister also defended his department's response to the recent spell of cold weather.

Mr Dempsey said it was much improved on the response during the previous cold spell earlier in the year, when there were 10,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled for clearing roads.

The minsiter said that this time there were over 50,000 tonnes.

Labour's Joe Costello said the response was far from adequate, citing the situation at Dublin Airport and the decision by Dublin Bus to suspend services early on certain days.