Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this question and I understand the reasons for what he said. As with many of the parliamentary questions, much of what the Deputies say is true but there are very good reasons for certain things happening. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy on roads. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the relevant local authority. 

More specifically, the statutory powers to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll by-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors are vested in TII under Part V of the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007.

The Government’s decision in October 1994 to proceed with the construction of the Dublin Port tunnel required, in accordance with the DTI strategy, that the implementation of the project would be accompanied by tolling of the tunnel for traffic-management purposes. The purpose of tolling the tunnel was, and is, to ensure that the tunnel performs its primary function of facilitating heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, accessing Dublin Port.

The toll scheme was developed with the following objectives: ensure that the non-HGV traffic would not interfere with the ability of the Dublin Port tunnel to meet its primary objective of providing a high-quality access route for HGVs to Dublin Port; ensure that the Dublin Port tunnel would not cause an increase in car-based commuter trips into the city centre; and limit the potential for traffic congestion, which is undesirable in a tunnel situation, to occur within the tunnel.

The transport strategy for the greater Dublin area, GDA, published by the NTA, provides the framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the GDA for the period from 2016 to 2035. The strategy identifies a broad range of measures necessary to provide for the efficient, effective and sustainable movement of people and goods in the GDA.

The strategy specifically identifies the need to ensure that Dublin Port tunnel continues to perform its primary function of providing access to Dublin Port for freight traffic. This, in turn, not only facilitates trade but also reduces the impact of freight movements on people who live and work on alternative routes to the port.

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