Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking specifically on the amendment and the points made by Deputies Catherine Murphy, Dessie Ellis and Thomas Pringle. I believe this is a balanced approach. The Government is committed to supporting the Local Government Fund, which will retain the bulk of income from motor tax to be used to fund local services. The balance of the fund, for distribution to local authorities and to provide for road and public transport infrastructure, will be of the order of €960 million. In other words, almost €1 billion in motor tax receipts will be definitively used to maintain the road network, notwithstanding that up to €150 million of all the money collected may not be spent in that way.

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