Mr. Pat Maher:

We need to replace or resurface over 400 km of the network each year. If we do not do that the network pavements will progressively degrade over time. The problem with pavements is that they do not depreciate in a linear way but are fine for a while before, quite quickly and severely, degrading towards the end of their lives. If we do not get in before that happens the consequences are very severe and we end up having to spend a great deal more to bring them back to their former state. Since the financial crisis and over the past six years, we have experienced a deficit of funding for pavements which we can manage for a while and we have done that but, eventually, one cannot do any more as one is trying to plug too many holes at the same time. In these cases there is a significant deterioration in the overall condition of the network. This does not happen overnight but we need to look at it on a 20-year horizon, based on a knowledge of how pavements deteriorate and what the costs and consequences are when one goes beyond a certain point.