Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Transport when it is envisaged that the toll barrier on the M50 will be removed. [29693/06]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Transport the timetable and status of plans to introduce barrier free tolling on the M50. [29687/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 75 together.

The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll by-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads, including the M50, is vested in the National Roads Authority (NRA) under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000).

As the Deputy is aware, in January of this year, the NRA decided to replace the West-Link toll on the M50 by a single-point barrier free toll in 2008. The installation of barrier free tolling is a crucial element of the M50 upgrade which is underway at present. In that context, the NRA have initiated a tender competition for the provision of free flow tolling services with the objective of having free flow tolling arrangements operational on the M50 by mid 2008.