Mr. Peter Walsh:

If a project has an environmental impact that needs to be mitigated, noise sensitive receptors being one of them, we would have to include a mitigation measure, such as a noise barrier. We would then subsequently have to maintain that and it becomes part of the project. However, where there is an existing road and existing housing and one is suffering an impact of noise, it does not fall to us as the National Roads Authority or TII to do anything other than provide the mapping.

In that circumstance, it is environmental funding that would provide any kind of mitigation. The Department of Transport cannot use roads money to deal with what is a public health issue.