State to pay toll bridge firm €600m in compo

THE State will pay the private company which operates Dublin’s West Link toll bridge approximately €600 million in compensation for the tolls being removed in mid-2008.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday confirmed to the Dáil that if the tolls were removed as planned, the State would have to buy out National Toll Roads contract, which runs until 2020.

“If the toll was removed in 2008, as estimated, approximately €45 million per annum indexed would be payable until 2020. Those are the broad figures on the issue,” he said.