The largest fines were handed out to van, truck and lorry drivers who repeatedly used the road without paying the toll

Transport Infrastructure Ireland logged 4,028 separate incidents on Dublin’s M50 ring road in 2022, at the rate of more than eleven every single day.

Toll revenue on nine different routes came to €210 million last year, with Dublin's M50 motorway generating an additional €170 million

Just four defendants turned up, and Judge Halpin applied the Probation Act, sparing three convictions, while the other case was adjourned to allow the defendant to consider his plea.

Works on both the north and southbound lanes will take place between 10pm and 5am on the relevant dates

The data also indicates the number of pedestrians killed in 2022 almost doubled to 41.

State roads operator Transport Infrastructure Ireland said the decision to hike tolls was "driven by the current rate of inflation".

The seven motorists did not attend their hearings and the judge handed out fines of €15,000 in each case

Traffic volumes have recovered from the early phases of the pandemic.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) had sent one driver more than 1,000 letters regarding 396 unpaid journeys, the court was told