Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Since 2001 I have been raising with the Taoiseach the daily torment inflicted on motorists who must use the West Link toll bridge. During this time the Government has prevaricated and taken different positions. Now, within sight of the general election, we read it has decided to buy the bridge. Will the Taoiseach state the exact position? Yesterday's announcement which coincided with the additional chaos arising from the diversion of 2,200 trucks from the port tunnel onto the bridge does not seem to advance us beyond what the Taoiseach told the House last November. The deal has not been concluded and the Minister states in the small print of the statement that he hopes it will be concluded soon. The situation on the bridge has been dramatically worsened by 2,200 trucks, which are the equivalent of 6,000 cars, and by the commencement of the renovation of the M50. These factors have made the already intolerable circumstances confronting motorists immensely worse. Is it the case that buying back this bridge, the original deal for which was €38 million, will cost us €600 million? The original deal signed by Pádraig Flynn and George Redmond——

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