Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 January 2017
285. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will develop a policy to ensure that wheelchair accessible taxis and private family vehicles for large families registered to carry more than seven passengers pay the same tolls as ordinary taxis and other private cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2364/17]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Furthermore, 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 TII (formerly known as the NRA) under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007).
Transport Infrastructure Ireland is obliged to produce and publish Bye-laws for each toll scheme in place across the country. In accordance with these Bye-Laws, details of tolls, defined for the purpose of the Toll Bye-Laws as either Maximum Tolls or Appropriate Tolls or in the case of the M50 the Applicable and Default tolls, are required to be published for each year.
In view of TII's statutory power regarding tolls, I have referred the Deputy’s question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
