Mr. Fred Barry:

I will. On the timetable for the network, modern pavement systems that are properly designed and built would typically have a life of about 20 years. For various reasons some will last a bit longer and some will last for a shorter period. Some of the older types of pavement renewal works that were done, although they were cheaper, would have lives of seven years. Again the pavement life of seven years or 20 years are general figures, the level of traffic has a good deal to do with it, in particular a severe winter can make a difference. We plan for the future and are aware of work that will need to be done over the next four years in planned maintenance. The issues I spoke of earlier in regard to funding may mean that we do not get to everything we would like to do or even that needs doing next year and the year after. As we come out of the financial crisis and funding recovers, we would expect to catch up. In terms of network deterioration, if we have a year in which we do not have enough money to do everything, it will not be too bad, but if that continues for several years, the level of deterioration increases and it costs far more to fix something if one lets it go.

In response to the question on NRA responsibilities for non-national roads, the NRA provides services to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. We have no authority or decision making power in respect of non-national roads. The role that the Department had in respect of non-national roads remains, but it is using the NRA and its workforce to carry out some of the work on its behalf. The decisions as to where the grants are allocated or the extent of the grants are made by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

On the A5 and the Omagh bypass the decisions on where the money gets spent and whether to invest now and if it would be good for the future is a matter for the roads service in Northern Ireland. We do not have a say in that.