Mr. Aidan O'Connor:

To clarify, it is a guidance document and in the guidance document, it clearly states on the cover that it is recommendations. Within that document there is mention of standards. There are Irish standards, international standards and European standards.

It is not without reference to standards but what I am saying is that the recommendations are what they are - recommendations. When they were developed they applied to local authorities that did not have any standards at the time or any declared document one could use as a standards document. That is why it was developed over the period in question, as I have explained, through An Foras Forbartha in 1974 on to the Department's own publication of this document, which advanced it. It also includes guidance on roads, for example, road turning circles and so forth. They have been superseded by developments in design. The issues that are dealt with here - those which develop over time - are the subject of the recommendations. There would be standards within that to the effect that if one is to follow it or deal with a particular concern, then one follows an Irish standard, a European standard or, in some cases, a British standard.