Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

While the NRA may implement tolling schemes on a statutory basis, the agency fully accepts that to make policy decisions of this significant type, when it has completed the demand-led study, it must come back and decisions will then be made. It has stated that it has terminated discussions in which it has tried for a long period to get an agreement with NTR. It has failed to do that because of infringement on national and EU procurement rules. It has also decided that the zero rate of the Westlink road from two years time will end and it will have to compensate NTR in accordance with the Westlink agreement that runs to 2020. I hope that is clear.

The other decision made is that we will go ahead with the upgrade work, which will help the road, along with the Naas Road work and the other issues that have been undertaken. Almost €1 billion of work will be undertaken and a revenue stream will be necessary for the second phase from a toll. We cannot just eliminate a toll road. If it could be done faster I would want to see that.

I accept Deputy Rabbitte's point that this has been tried and tested in other countries. I have seen it, it is known as the Hong Kong model, where the user receives a bill like a telephone bill from a technological recording. Apparently, however, there is a period required to do that and while they negotiate under the 2020 agreement, that is the position. I am sure the Minister will have more time to outline it in more detail another day.

See this speech in context