Report Recommends More Irish Road Tolls

A report by a local government group across the border has called for more tolls on national roads as part of a package to save €500 million.

The Local Government Efficiency Review Group approved the report, which was published earlier this week, at a meeting in Farmleigh, Dublin.

The group said that tolling charges should be extended from motorways to national roads.

It has argued this would be consistent with Government policy on the environment by incentivising road users to use other transport. It would also allow a stream of revenue for local councils to invest in local roads.

However, Conor Faughnan of the AA told the Irish Times that the idea of placing tolls on regional roads was absurd and that placing an extra cent tax on fuel would be a far more efficent proposal.

The overall document contains 106 recommendations totalling €511 million in savings and also includes proposals for extra levies on those who do not pay their motor tax online along with the merging of local authority management.

The Minister for the Environment John Gormley commissioned the report and he is expected to begin implementing some of its recommendations almost immediately.

Under some of the proposals also expected to go ahead in the short term are the reduction in the number of county managers from 34 to 24, while ten new administrative areas will serve 20 city and county council areas. It is also proposed that senior and middle management levels be cut by up to 20%.

Social housing rents may also start to be deducted directly from social welfare payments while drivers would see the cost of a ten-year driving licence increase from €25 to €40.

Also being discussed in the report is an increase in devolution of decision making to town councils, including directly elected mayors in other cities and counties.

(DW/BMcC)