Mr. Peter Walsh:

The Thurles bypass is not on the NDP, as the Deputy correctly said. A review of the NDP is scheduled next year but I think it is likely to happen this year. It would be worthwhile for any roads authority to make absolutely clear to us where it feels an element of the national road is deficient or warrants intervention. This is the national secondary bypass. As I said, it is not part of the current NDP. We do not make policy; we deliver it. We contribute to the national development plan thinking as it is being developed, but it has been developed and the list of projects has been adopted. It is not open to us to take in something that was not favoured by the political leadership of the country to include in an NDP and replace it with a different project. It would have to be considered as part of the review. I encourage engagement with the process.