If we adopt a sensible approach to our road development policy, we could find the money to which I refer. One of the priority projects in the national road development programme is the construction of a motorway from Dublin to Waterford. The estimated cost of this project is around €1 billion. I am in favour of people from Waterford having good access to Dublin. Good road links are essential if the city, the county and the region are to develop to their full potential. However, I question the need for a motorway. The NRA has published traffic counts for all the national primary routes. In 2002, some sections of the N9 Dublin to Waterford route were carrying as few as 6,000 vehicles per day. Back roads in County Kildare carry more traffic than that. A motorway is not justified for a road as lightly trafficked as that. If it was, virtually every national route in the country would have to be upgraded to motorway. A motorway on the N9 road would be a waste of taxpayers' money on a grand scale. That is not to say that towns should be bypassed along the route.