Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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24. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the proposal to remove the slip road tolls in Drogheda for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann which is taking place in the town in August 2018; the steps he has taken to pursue the removal of the tolls; the engagement that has taken place with relevant stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18030/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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4 o’clock

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy in respect of national roads. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads is the responsibility of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 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 Deputy’s request has been considered in conjunction with TII and it has been determined, with some degree of regret, that the slip road tolls in Drogheda should not be removed. A number of factors have influenced this decision. Any loss of toll revenue incurred by lifting the road tolls for Drogheda during August 2018 would have to be paid by the Exchequer to the road toll company. Lifting the tolls would also create a precedent for any other toll charges to be lifted where an event was organised near a toll plaza. In addition, it would be administratively impossible to distinguish between those attending the fleadh and those simply avoiding the toll.

TII conducted studies on the removal of tolls at slip roads entering Drogheda. These showed that removal of the slip tolls would lead to diversions from the M1 to this junction to avoid the mainline toll and would attract traffic that currently avoids the junction because of tolling. North-facing ramp flows would increase from 3,000 to 18,800 vehicles per day, leading to a significant increase in light and heavy vehicular traffic on the Donore road, the Duleek road and the R152. The residents living adjacent to these roads would experience higher levels of congestion and associated negative impacts on the road pavement, air quality, road safety and noise. These roads do not have the capacity to carry the additional 15,800 vehicles per day.

In any event, those attending the fleadh and travelling north along the M1 can avoid tolls by diverting at junction 7, Gormanstown, onto the R132 and into Drogheda. Traffic travelling south along the M1 can also avoid tolls by diverting at junction 10.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Over 400,000 visitors to Drogheda are expected during the fleadh. As the Minister knows, it is an internationally recognised festival with massive tourism potential. I contacted the Minister and we had our first meeting on 31 January. He was to get back to me by the end of February. I have contacted his office for a follow-up response on five occasions. That is a cowardly way to do business. I had to table a priority question today in order to get a response from the Minister. At my request, he gave a commitment that he would personally meet Celtic Roads Group to plead the case. Did he do that? What case did he make? Did he even press for a reduction in the tolls during the fleadh? We are talking about a one-week festival. The Minister said that there would be engagement with the Garda and the local authorities in respect of the effect of the slip road toll. I had told the Minister that there would be queues for miles up the M1 during the fleadh, when 400,000 people are expected to visit Drogheda, if he does not lift the toll on the slip roads for the duration.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I understand the Deputy's passion and I understand why she is doing this. I did say that it is with regret that I have decided that this request will have to be turned down. I made a pledge that I would contact Celtic Roads Group, CRG. The Deputy is absolutely right about that. I made a pledge that I would be in contact with TII about this. The Deputy is absolutely right in that regard. I met the Deputy to discuss this matter at some length and I have taken trouble with it. I contacted CRG and TII about it in recent weeks. The conclusions are those which I outlined in my response. CRG would certainly need compensation if this was to be done. TII supplied the information I have provided to the Deputy, which simply says that this would set a precedent TII would find difficult to stand over in other cases. It has to be funded from somewhere. If it was done for Drogheda, it would have to be done for a large number of other places located close to tolled motorways and where fleadhs are held. While it would be wonderful if we could open the roads without tolls, it would have to happen in other cases as well. That is why I reluctantly feel that it would not be a good decision.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I have told the Minister previously that no precedent would be set here because Drogheda is the only town in Ireland which has a tolled slip road. There is no precedent to be set here at all. The Minister is responsible for both transport and tourism and he has put absolutely no effort into securing the removal of the slip road toll in Drogheda for just one week. He has put absolutely no effort in. Again, he is afraid to upset private business. He is putting private business before people again. He has said that compensation would be necessary but, by his own estimation, it would cost between €115,000 and €130,000 to remove the toll for the duration of the fleadh. When compared to the sports grant of €150,000 the Minister gave to Wesley College for parochial purposes, the removal of the slip road toll during the fleadh would have an enormous effect of tourism and would benefit Drogheda, the fleadh, the people of Louth and, in particular, the 400,000 visitors who will come. Those visitors will mainly be families, but also voluntary musicians not just from Ireland but from right across the world. The Minister has let the people of Drogheda and the people of Louth down and he has also most definitely let 400,000 potential visitors down.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Ní bheidh am do na Teachtaí Dála eile.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I reiterate that I am sorry we cannot do this for everybody. I am sorry we cannot lift tolls for everybody everywhere all the time. TII tells me that it has received numerous requests for local tolls to be waived when festivals are being held. Such festivals have included the Waterford leg of the Tall Ships Races, Limerick City of Culture 2014, the Dublin leg of the Tall Ships Races in 2012 and various other festivals. Tolls have never been waived for such events.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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We are not talking about the main toll. The Minister knows what we are talking about. It is the slip road toll, not the main toll.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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What we are talking about is waiving tolls for festivals and creating a precedent. I would absolutely love to do it. I wish there were no tolls in the country at all but we do not live in that sort of a world. I accept Deputy Munster's special pleading for Drogheda. It is fair to point out that Drogheda is the only town which has a tolled slip road leading into it. However, it is also served by toll-free access points. Perhaps I could list a couple of them for the Deputy.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Minister is out of time.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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From the south, via the M1, one can take the exit at junction 7. From the north, via the M1, one can exit at junction 10. From the north, via the R132, one can come in from Monasterboice and from the west one can come in via the N51 from Slane.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Deputy will have to read them. Rachaimid ar ais go dtí an Teachta Troy.