Tóibín says road tolls should be scrapped, not increased 

Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín has castigated the government’s road toll increases – and says he believes the price hikes are “part of the whole Green Party policy of trying to beat people out of cars” – and that the M50 Toll is owned by the state and “been paid for by the Irish people over and over again”.

“The Government is hiking up tolls, again during the most serious Cost of Living crisis in living memory. The government is involved in the highway robbery of citizens who are struggling to get the work,” the Meath West TD said.

“Commuters are already hammered with increased car prices and increased repair costs. Commuters are also suffering high fuel and electricity prices, because of this government. Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Greens hiked up excise on petrol and diesel just 7 months ago, 6 months ago they increased they cost of tolls and three months ago the government increased the cost of Carbon tax on fuel.  And now at the start of the New Year the same government are fleecing commuters again”.

“According to a parliamentary answer received by Aontú the government are now taking more in VAT on petrol and diesel than ever before,” he said, asserting that “in the jaws of a Cost of Living crisis” the government took in €2.3 billion in fuel tax in 2022.

“These costs are a savage imposition of workers. In reality this is a tax on work. It’s a tax on those who get up early in the morning to keep the country going”.

“Tolls and fuel tax are not uncontrolled costs. These are costs that the government are in charge of. Its incredible that at this time of cost hardship the government would actively increase transport inflation.  Road hauliers have estimated that the changes could see some hauliers burdened with more than €500 in additional costs per truck over the course of a year. This cost will eventually be borne by the consumer, adding to the cost of food and every day staples”.

“Someone traveling to work from my own county of Meath can pass six tolls in the return journey. Many people in such a situation spend up to €2,000 [annually] on tolls. They don’t have a rail option as there is no rail line into the county. They don’t have a direct bus option because buses are incredibly unreliable. Bus routes are radial in nature and don’t cross the city.

“The Minister will say that many of these tolls are contracts out of the hands of the government. But this is not true the M50 Toll is owned by the state. Its is the busiest road in Ireland and it is in reality a cash cow for the government. It is a monument to FF and FG waste and maladministration. These bridges have been paid for by the Irish people over and over again”.

“The two bridges were built at a cost of £58m. The company that built it recouped all the construction costs in just 1 year of tolls. The M50 Bridges were sold to the state for €600m in 2007. The commuters using the bridge have €1.3bn in tolls just in last 9 years. Yet the Minister is hiking up the price again. The Minister must get rid of the M50 toll once and for all,” the Aontú leader said.

“During Construction of major road projects we were told by FF and FG governments that the tolls were only to cover the cost of construction and maintenance. We know that’s not true. Lets be honest, the tolls are now being used as a stick to stop people driving. The Greens are strategically increasing the price of energy, fuel and tolls during this cost of living crisis to reduce the demand for energy and push people off the roads”.

“I believe that the whole reason the Government is doing this is part of the whole Green Party policy of trying to beat people out of cars,” he told Newstalk.“I have no problem with the idea of trying to get people into public transport as it’s more sustainable in the long run.

“But they are doing so without giving people any real alternative. Many people can’t switch fuel sources. Many people cant leave their car behind. Many people can only suffer the suffocating financial squeeze with the help of maxed out overdrafts, loans or money lenders. I am appealing to the Minister to give citizens a break. I am urging the Minister to stop these toll increases and bin the M50 Toll”