Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

----- in a way that I do not believe has been seen in any other country in Europe. The fact that we have been sensibly and effectively managing the economy has given us the platform, as has the situation with regard to our national finances, to be able to support people who are under great pressure that this time. Over the past year and a half, we have seen €12 billion, which equates to 4.5% of our national income, allocated to specific tax and expenditure measures to try to help households and businesses deal with rising costs. That is the wider backdrop to the past 18 months in the context of how the Government has worked to try to relieve the pressure that has undoubtedly been on our citizens over that period.

The Deputy specifically raised the issue of tolls. In December of last year, the Minister directed that officials in his Department would engage with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to develop options which might allow for the suspension of planned toll increases until the end of June this year.

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