The Transport Minister has indicated hikes to road tolls will go ahead in the new year.
Eamon Ryan says public transport and road services could be 'weakened' if plans to raise the tolls were scrapped.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said he would speak to Minister Ryan about potentially rowing back on the inflation-linked increases announced last week.
However Minister Ryan says it could amount to robbing Peter to pay Paul and could result in fewer public transport and road services.
"When you actually look under the bonnet as it were, I don't think people will want to cut public bus services or cut the maintenance and improvement of roads to to do that, and I don't think that would be the right way to go."
