Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I hope he follows through. I was not expecting this today. I was not down to speak today. I am usually a suit man when I am speaking in the Dáil but this issue is such that I had to submit a Topical Issue matter. People are angry about this. Sometimes an issue can be the straw that breaks the camel's back. These tolling companies do not have to put their prices up. I have never read an article stating that tolling companies have lost money or even broke even. These are cash cows and rake in the money. It is not just on the M50 but all over the country. This is a licence to print money. These are some of the most attractive companies for public-private partnership, PPP, contracts. They are cash cows.

This is gouging at a time when we have a cost-of-living crisis where every cent counts. I call on the Government to take action and put pressure on these companies. They will have to respond because, ultimately, the Government and the State are the gatekeepers for all future contracts. They own the roads. If the Government and the State come down heavily on these companies, they will have to respond and extend a freeze through the winter and into 2023. We cannot just accept this development based on some loose inflationary reason. These companies are cash cows and this is gouging people. The Minister of State has said she is with me.

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