A record of nearly 170 million euro was collected in toll charges on the M50 last year.

It’s almost 30 million euro more than in 2021, and is also significantly above pre-pandemic levels.

These new figures have been released by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, under the Freedom of Information Act.

They show the toll revenue collected on the 10 tolls on motorways and national roads the state agency is involved in.

Over 344 million euro in tolls was taken in last year – over 67 million more than the previous year.

Almost half of last year’s income was on the M50, at 169.6 million.

That’s a record high and compares to 140 million in 2021 – and exceeds the pre-Covid high in 2019, of almost 161 million.

Deputy Peadar Toibin is the leader of Aontu.

“The M50 has already been paid for, over and over again by the people”.

“We’ve paid well over a billion euros, so the Government is purely using this as a tax on commuters.”

“We’re calling for the Government to get rid of the toll on the M50, there’s no need for it anymore.”

After the M50, the next highest income last year was on the M1 toll in Dundalk, at over 32 million.

That’s marginally more than M4 toll at Kilcock-Kinnegad, at 31.8 million.