If public representatives within the south-east did not accept tolling on new roads and work together on infrastructural projects, they might lose out to other areas, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Cullen, has warned.
Speaking at the launch of the South East Regional Authority's Passenger Transport Strategy in Waterford, the Minister said that without tolling many of the projects planned for the region, such as the motorway-standard roads from Dublin to Wexford and Waterford and the Waterford city bypass, would not go ahead.
"Plans for the future must be based on cold, hard facts and proper analysis," he said.
"There is no good in campaigning for infrastructural development and then not wanting to pay for it."
Mr Cullen criticised those who opposed the tolling of the Waterford city bypass and claimed that other regions were eager for similar projects in their areas to proceed.
"If Waterford was out of the way, there are plenty of other areas with projects waiting and they would be quite happy to fill the gap," he said.
"There will not be a roads project going forward in the future anywhere that will not include tolling. That is a fact as we move forward."
The chairman of the South East Regional Authority, Cllr Michael Maguire, called for investment in the region's transport infrastructure to be ring-fenced.
Mr Cullen stressed that projects would be developed on schedule and that, although things were tougher, Ireland was still in a strong position.
"The No 1 priority for overseas companies looking at making investments in Ireland is waste management, and they will not locate in an area where they have high costs or difficulties in disposing of their waste," he said.
In relation to media reports that the Limerick-Rosslare rail route was to close, Mr Cullen said he did not have all the facts but suggested that if the route was not viable then it should be closed.