Tom Morrissey (Progressive Democrats)

I am pleased Senator Ross has put down this motion. It is amazing that any Member should claim to have heard me utter anything about open tolling and I defy them to produce any evidence to that effect. Neither I nor my party would be so reckless.

The problem is that the M50 has been successful. We will never know the type of debate that would have taken place today had the forecasts upon which this entire venture was based materialised. Senator Dooley referred to some aspects of the economic environment. The economic stagnation of the early 1980s was followed by an improvement in the second half of that decade, with average growth increasing to 4.4%. The early 1990s was another period of slow growth, with an average growth rate of 2.8% from 1990 to 1993 before the emergence of the Celtic tiger in 1994. Unemployment stood at 17% in 1986 and at 16% in 1993. Now, however, the figure is4.3%. At the time the M50 was planned, our airports and ports were filled with people flocking to leave the country. By contrast, the airports and ports now receive those who are flocking to come to Ireland.

I was a member of Fingal County Council, as was Senator Terry, from 1991 to 1995, during which time the M50 was opened. Fingal County Council and the former Dublin County Council, of which Senator Ormonde was a member, did not have in their estimates during those critical years the money to provide lighting along the motorway. Media reports at that time observed it was a dangerous road on which to travel at night. It was a crazy situation.

It is in this context that I object to the comments of Opposition Members. It is a pity that Senator Terry, in particular, is not here. As far back as the mid-1960s and early 1970s, every Dublin county development plan included the famous outer ring road. When Dublin County Council was divided into three separate entities in 1994, Fingal County Council, supported by 23 of 24 councillors, voted to remove the outer ring road from the development plan. I was the only councillor who argued that it should be retained.

Congestion on the M50 takes place primarily at the interchanges. Residents of County Meath are aware there is congestion six miles out at Dunshaughlin at 7 a.m. However, this has noting to do with the M50. It is a consequence of the problems with the interchange at Blanchardstown. More than 25,000 vehicles travel from the N3 in the Castleknock-Blanchardstown area across the M50 and on to the N4. These motorists have no alternative to this route because councillors in Fingal County Council took the development plan asunder. Coincidentally, South Dublin County Council is continuing with the old development plan. Those who travel to Galway may wonder about the location of the Woodies interchange. This was part of the outer ring road, sliced off by Fingal County Council because it did not want another bridge over the River Liffey.

People make choices every day. Any motorist travelling on the M50 can take an easy option by availing of electronic tolling through the Eazy Pass system. I use this facility and I defy any Member to claim it has not reduced congestion on the M50. On average, between two and a half and four cars will pass through the Eazy Pass lane while only one will clear the manual lane. However, the Eazy Pass lane is virtually idle at most times. One can approach the Eazy Pass booth across the new bridge without any delay and at the highest permissible speed.