Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount the State is paying private companies each month to make up shortfall in traffic numbers. [26567/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The implementation of individual national road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2007, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

In particular, the statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the NRA under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007). The contracts for the privately-operated toll schemes are commercial agreements between the NRA and the Public Private Partnership (PPP) concessionaires concerned. Noting this position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.