Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

As my colleague, Senator Alex White, noted, today sees the hearing into the proposal to change the toll system on the M50. From next August, when the National Roads Authority takes charge of the West Link, tolls for registered users will increase from the current price of €1.90 to up to €2.50, and for occasional users, such as myself, who might use the road once every couple of weeks, the charge will increase to €3, which is a whopping 60% increase.

The NRA has sent a report on demand management techniques for the M50 to the Minister for Transport. I am concerned that these toll charges are simply a back-door means of introducing demand management techniques on the M50. We cannot begin to talk about demand management on the M50 without putting in place sufficient public transport alternatives. When demand management techniques were introduced in London by the Mayor, Mr. Ken Livingstone — the congestion charge — he provided hundreds of additional buses and slashed bus fares. We cannot introduce demand management techniques on the M50 without doing something similar. We must provide an alternative. I would like the Leader to bring the Minister for Transport to the House so we can hear his views on the issue of the changes to the toll and whether he intends to introduce demand management techniques on the M50.