The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, is examining the possible use of satellite technology to toll motorists on parts of the national motorway system, it has emerged.
The system would be used instead of charging drivers to pass through a tolling booth at the start or end of a motorway. With motorists sent individual bills for road use, they could be charged on a pro-rata basis instead of paying a uniform toll.
The option is under consideration as part of a review of the M1 motorway project, which links Dublin with Belfast.
Mr Brennan is examining the possibility of selling the stretch of the M1 linking Dublin with the Border as an investment to the National Pension Reserve Fund.
The fund, which has already expressed tentative interest in acquiring the Dublin Port Tunnel, would generate a return on its investment by tolling motorists.
While similar satellite tracking systems are already in use in Germany, its use might be confined to only the most modern vehicles. In addition to the cost of such technology, this would be a definite drawback.
Mr Brennan is believed to be considering such options just as the Department of Finance finalises a major review of the National Development Plan.
As part of that process, an initial report on the Luas project will be published tomorrow.
The mid-term review will reaffirm the conclusions of previous studies, which found that the project was running at more than twice the original cost estimates. In this scenario, crucial elements of the roads plan are likely to be scaled back or postponed.
Although it is not yet clear what elements of the plan might be downgraded, Mr Brennan clearly signalled last week that the motorways linking Dublin with Cork and Galway were likely to be prioritised.
This suggests that motorway projects linking Dublin with Sligo, Limerick and Waterford might be downgraded from motorway status.
The National Development Plan was projected in 1999 to cost €6.9 billion in the period between 2000 and 2006. It is now expected to cost up to €16 billion, with completion not expected until 2014.
Mr Brennan told a conference last week that the review would provide an opportunity "to perhaps look again at more realistic targets, to look at what we can actually get done in the immediate years ahead".
In anticipation of the review, the Government yesterday published figures for work on current road projects.
The Government spokeswoman said 30 projects, comprising 230km of national roads, had been completed. Some 16 roads comprising 117km were under construction, and 16 were at tender stage.
She said the Kildare bypass, whose completion target was mid-2004, was now expected to be finished by the end of this year. The Glen o' the Downs motorway in Co Wicklow will be finished by the end of October.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will this weekend open the second West Link Bridge at the Liffey Valley section of the M50 motorway.
