Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, for joining us here this morning. I want to raise the need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the support packages available to the haulage industry during the current period, including the introduction of barrier-free tolling for hauliers.

As all Members are aware, the haulage industry has faced considerable challenges in recent times. The announcement of significant supports last week in the form of a €220 million package has been welcomed and is a significant boost. However, there are other measures that could be taken, which merit consideration, to enhance the already announced supports, in particular the introduction of barrier-free tolling on all tolls across the country, as is currently done on the M50.

The Minister may be aware that our fellow EU members are already making this move. For example the A13-A14 motorway corridor between Paris and Normandy has completely removed barriers from the motorway and instead is opting for tag and remote payment.

Our current tolling system has significant negative impacts from an environmental viewpoint, an economic perspective and also from a health outlook. According to figures provided by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, HGV drivers are wasting over €26 million worth of diesel annually due to the stop-start process at toll barriers. This wasted fuel generates nearly 45,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, which is equivalent to nearly 30,000 kg of CO2 daily from the 24,264 HGVs that pass through Irish tolls. I know the Minister will be familiar with those statistics.

We should also note the harmful pollutants released by idling vehicles stuck in queues at toll booths. Nitrogen oxides, NOx, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are all emitted in excessive amounts when engines idle. These pollutants contribute to air pollution, which is not only harmful to the environment but is also linked to respiratory illnesses such as asthma and more serious illnesses. As drivers often search for coins or cards to make payment, tolls also increase the risk of accident, and this has resulted in serious accidents. The coroner for Cork city highlighted these risks following one fatal accident.

In terms of the toll fees, the industry was facing rising costs well before the fuel price rocketed up in recent weeks. Obviously the industry is essential for the entire country and strong consideration should be given to reversing the toll increases that were implemented in 2026 or at least the Minister should make a vow to freeze them at their current level for a prolonged period.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Crowe for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.

The Minister for Transport is responsible for overall policy and Exchequer funding for the national roads programme. As Members will be aware, once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII, under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for TII, which ultimately delivers that under the national planning framework.

TII, through a service provider, operates the M50 and Dublin Port tunnel tolls on behalf of the State. Along with Exchequer funding, toll revenues received by TII contribute to the funding of essential services on the national primary and secondary road network, including general day-to-day maintenance and operation of the network, such as pavement repair and renewal, incident and emergency response, winter gritting, safety barrier repair and renewal, and energy supply and maintenance of route lighting.

Senator Crowe referred to the M50. The origin of the single M50 toll point was to fund the construction of the West-Link Liffey bridge and the associated section of the M50 in 1990 under an early form of public-private partnership, PPP, contract. The State bought back the West-Link bridge concession in 2008 and, as Senator Crowe rightly said, converted the toll plaza to a freeflow barrier-free tolling arrangement.

With regard to the Dublin Port tunnel, it is important to point out that the barrier serves as an important mechanism to ensure that traffic congestion does not take place within the tunnel, in accordance with normal good operating practice. The other eight roads are PPP roads, which were constructed and are now operated and maintained under long-term contracts with TII. As Members will know, the basis for the PPP toll road contracts arose from a Government policy initiative which identified PPPs as an essential component in contributing to the financing and delivery of national road improvements. Revenue generated by these roads is collected by the PPP company and is used to repay loans arising from the construction of the road and to fund ongoing operations and maintenance activities. Any change to the mechanism by which tolls are collected on these routes would need to take account of these existing contractual commitments.

Regarding changes to toll prices, toll by-laws for each individual road set out the basis for calculating maximum tolls each year. Maximum tolls are calculated for each vehicle category. TII calculates the maximum tolls for the Dublin Port tunnel and the M50 and decides the actual tolls that should apply. The PPP companies calculate the maximum tolls for the eight PPP concession schemes and propose the actual tolls that should apply.The mechanism for these calculations is set out in the individual toll by-law and is based on the consumer price index. It would be fair to point out to the House that the tolls charged may not exceed the calculated maximum toll for each scheme. The Minister has no formal consultative role in this; it is a matter for TII. It would be a question of a shortfall of funding in terms of the different categories the Senator spoke about. It perhaps should be examined in the context of the point made on the loss of diesel and barrier-free tolling which is something we should consider. The Senator is correct about match days, in particular. The Cork-Portlaoise and Cork-Fermoy roads have a lot of barriers.

The road transport sector is of great importance to our country and in that regard I welcome the recently announced support scheme that has been put in place. TII, in conjunction with toll operators, has undertaken trials permitting HGV tolls to be paid without the need for vehicles to stop. These trials have taken place at toll locations on the N25 Waterford bypass and on the M7 and M8 Portlaoise local road network. These trials apply to primary HGV lane one at each toll location and are backed by advanced variable messaging. These trials were successful and were immediately extended, with limited trials now under way on the M1 Gormanston to Monasterboice and M8 Rathcormac to Fermoy toll locations, with TII aiming to facilitate similar transitioning to rolling out HGV tolling, where feasible, at all toll locations. I thank the Senator for raising this important matter.

Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. It is clear that the trend is heading towards barrier-free tolls sooner or later. Fermoy is a perfect example. We should take the necessary action to ensure we can make this change in Ireland as soon as possible because of the range of benefits it provides and to support the haulage industry. It is vital.

Having spoken to operators in the industry, I know this is something they have raised for quite a while. At this stage, it would be welcome to see action being taken as a priority. I appreciate TII has responsibility for setting toll prices but given the current circumstances, the Government would benefit from considering how this can be amended. Consultation between the Department of Transport and TII on this issue would be welcomed by all.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Crowe for raising the matter. Barrier-free tolling is something we need to explore. We have seen how successful it can be. The Senator referenced other parts of Europe that have introduced it. We need to take into account emissions and the waste of diesel. Despite the fact tolling may not be popular, it helps to fund maintenance and ongoing work. We have seen the benefits of tolling for our roads. I will bring the remarks of the Senator back to the Department in the context of toll revenue being reduced and the success of our motorway and interurban routes. I will ask the Department to engage further with the Senator on the matter.