Mr. Peter Walsh:

I am not familiar with the letter the Deputy referred to. We simply request that planning and local authorities observe the national guideline in terms of preserving capacity on national roads. In areas where the determination is that traffic is low, the local need is great, or both, our general approach is not to appeal a planning approval the local authority regards as warranted. It may be rare enough that those circumstances exist but the general position we have always taken is to look to the local authority to observe the national guidelines in this regard. They are not our guidelines; they are originally Department of environment guidelines.