Mr. Peter Walsh:

I am in the Leinster House complex. The Chairman asked us to confirm that earlier.

In terms of regional development and the projects that might support that from a TII perspective, the national road projects contained in the current NDP all support regional development. There is a list of 12 in the inter-urban roads category. With the possible exception of the M7 in Kildare, they all address connectivity to the regions. There is significant emphasis on enhanced regional accessibility in all our projects. The second list of eight projects relates to accessibility to the northwest. The emphasis within the current NDP is very much one that produces enhanced regional accessibility and identifies the areas that did not get the benefit of connectivity in the previous plan. We would see a continued need to support the development of urban areas outside Dublin by enhancing the connectivity between them and Dublin - the largest market in the country. I hope that answers the question. We do not choose any one of them above another. In terms of the assessment of projects, they are assessed against the performance under the national strategic outcomes and enhanced regional accessibility is a very strong one for us.

The Senator asked about our views on people working from home. It is probably too early to have a clear view on it but the need for movement of freight and movement for business purposes exists. The provision of a safe and efficient national road network to meet that need is one that is a priority for us. Commuting has always placed a demand on the network.

Whether that demand spreads out in time over a day, changes in terms of days of the week or sees a reduction in some of the more intense periods, it is very early and difficult to say. The overall number of trips is likely to be the same. That is my view at the moment. In terms of research, there is nothing definitive as yet. I do not know whether I have answered all of the questions.