Mr. Pat Maher:

I am generally aware though perhaps not expert. There are different surfaces. We have lower noise surfacing. I do not think there are any surfacings we would describe as "low noise". There are, however, definitely differences in respect of the various surfacings we use in respect of performance. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach said, the works being done on the N11, on the Stillorgan Road section of the project, are on a very old surfacing. It was a rough-textured surfacing called hot rolled asphalt, HRA. It is being replaced by another surfacing, stone mastic asphalt, SMA, which in the context of an urban area, in particular, is very appropriate. There are trade-offs in terms of the different surfaces. For example, the surfacing being laid on the N11 now, the SMA, is probably in the longer term not as durable as the kind of surfacing we would see more typically nowadays in rural areas.