Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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122. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will reduce or abolish toll charges for commercial passenger operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35103/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Therefore, matters relating to the day to day operations regarding national roads, including toll roads and the establishment of a system of tolls, are within the remit of TII. More specifically, the statutory power to levy tolls, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into agreements with private investors are vested in TII under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended).

Toll revenue is a very important source of revenue for TII and is used to fund essential services including the operation and maintenance of the primary and secondary road network; Dublin Tunnel, the Jack Lynch Tunnel; and TII’s Motorway Control Centre.

In addition, the Public Private Partnership (PPP) toll concessions on the national road network are also under the remit of TII. However, the toll revenue generated by these toll roads is collected by the PPP concessionaire and generally funds the construction debt as well as the operation and maintenance of the road itself.

Therefore, because of the criticality of tolling revenue streams for the smooth functioning of our roads network and access tunnels, the fact that PPP toll concessionaires own the revenue collected on those tolls, and TII’s statutory obligations, TII are not in a position to introduce any additional exemptions.