Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Transport the details of the planned legislation to provide for motorists who drive through toll bridges without paying to be fined by the courts; if he has had discussions with National Toll Roads regarding the introduction of this legislation; when the legislation will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9678/05]

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Transport the situation with regard to plans to introduce open tolling on national motorways; the discussions he has had with the NRA and NTR in this regard; when the necessary legislation will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9692/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 41 together.

Automated toll collection is currently in use on existing toll plazas and provides for one toll lane in each direction dedicated to the electronic collection of tolls. A physical barrier is used on the lanes to prevent non-payment of tolls. The only route where a move to full open road tolling, that is, no manual collection and barrier free, is being considered, is the M50. The move from the current toll arrangement on the M50 to a non-stop automated toll collection facility would be completed over a number of stages, involving a phased reduction in the cashier-coin basket lanes with a corresponding increase in payments by automated methods.

The legislative changes necessary to facilitate the implementation of barrier free tolling on automated toll collection lanes on other toll schemes, through the implementation of appropriate deterrents for non payment of tolls, have been the subject of consultation with the National Roads Authority, NTR and other companies with an interest in the operation of toll plazas. I anticipate subject to the other priorities on the legislative programme, that the draft legislation will be introduced in autumn of this year.