Government has no mandate ‘at this stage’ for strategy that includes possibility of new charges for motorists, Taoiseach Simon Harris said.

His remarks came after the Green Party sought to submit the latest version of the ‘Moving Together’ traffic jam strategy to Cabinet for approval before the general election which is expected to take place later this month.

The Irish Independent reported on Friday that Good Gael And Fianna Fail have blocked progress on the strategy due to concerns over possible new taxes or charges for motorists.

Leader of the Green Party Roderic O’Gorman said Friday there are no proposals for new taxes, although it is looking at potential ways to replace auto tax revenue as people turn to electric vehicles.

He acknowledged there had been “reluctance” within the Coalition towards the strategy.

At another press conference, Mr Harris said: “I signed up to an anti-carbon, not anti-car, government agenda.

“I think it’s very important that we recognize that there is still a need for cars in this country and that many people will have moved to electric vehicles.

“They need roads to travel… Our public transport also needs good road infrastructure.

He added: “This government is nearing the end of its mandate.

“I don’t think the Government has a mandate at this stage to come to the Irish people with a raft of new fees and taxes.

“I am not in favor of it and no government I am a part of will move things forward on tolls and congestion charges.”

The Fine Gael leader said the climate agenda must be pushed forward and his party is ambitious on it “but you do it by bringing people with you and at this time, in the middle of a crisis in the cost of life, increasing tolls, congestion tolls and likes are not where we need to be.

An earlier version of the strategy titled – Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to the Improvement Efficiency of the Transport System in Ireland – has already been published.

Mr O’Gorman said the project had already been discussed in Cabinet and it sets out ways in which local authorities in particular can better manage traffic congestion and sets out suggestions on how we can reduce traffic congestion in our cities.

He said there were “no proposals for new taxes”, but the strategy: “highlights the problem that as more people turn to electric cars, as we will have fewer petrol and diesel cars, the VRT, the car tax will decrease and that is a big problem. a large part of the income.

Mr O’Gorman added: “We’re going to look at ways to fill that gap and that speaks to some of the potentials. »

But he said: “It’s a strategy. This is not a tax document.

“It aims to provide better solutions to the traffic congestion we see in our cities. »

Mr O’Gorman said there had been “reluctance” from his party’s coalition partners on this and “other elements as well”.

He said: “We have a proposal in terms of reform of the roads strategy which is causing resistance. »

Mr O’Gorman added: “My view was that we were working until the end of this government.

“We continue to present meaningful proposals.

“That’s what our party did. This is what I do in my department.

“I didn’t have any sort of feeling that we were going to, you know, drop the tools in two weeks.”

He said his party “will continue to advocate for the need to work through the end of this government and continue to put forward meaningful proposals.”