Vol. 563 No. 4
511 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Transport if the Government will receive income from the tolling of the Dublin to Belfast motorway at Drogheda; if so, the frequency with which the money will be paid to the Exchequer; the expected annual income from the toll; and if the Exchequer is not to be the beneficiary of the toll revenue, the group or company which will be. [7724/03]
The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bylaws, and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the National Roads Authority under Part V of the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000. It is envisaged that a significant proportion of the national roads programme will be implemented by means of public private partnerships, which will involve private sector funding and will ensure earlier delivery of vital national road infrastructure.
The private sector involvement will be remunerated, in part, by way of tolls. The NRA's current PPP programme comprises 11 high quality projects spread throughout the country, one of which is the Dundalk western bypass. Detailed funding arrangements in respect of the associated tolling at Drogheda will not be determined until the relevant negotiations are finalised and tolling agreements entered into.
