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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Jul 2023

Vol. 1041 No. 3

A5 Route Upgrade: Motion [Private Members]

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

is gravely concerned that:

— the A5 road remains unsafe, with an increasing number of fatalities in recent years;

— people, young and old, continue to lose their lives on this route, leaving devastated families and communities behind; and

— more than 50 people have died since 2006, with ten deaths occurring between October 2021 and October 2022 alone;

notes that:

— the A5 route is important infrastructure linking the North and South, and it is a major route for those living and working in the border counties and across the North West;

— this route is critical to the economic wellbeing of one of the poorest regions on the island;

— the A5 upgrade was first announced in 2007, in order to transform a dangerous single lane road into a much safer dual carriageway; and

— the N2 Ardee to Castleblayney Road Scheme and the N2 Clontibret to Border Road Scheme, along with the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project for Donegal, are critically important linkages to the A5 and have been identified as necessary for road safety;

recognises that further delays to the commencement of the project will cost lives and have a negative effect on the economic development of the North West; and

calls on the Government to:

— honour the commitment to fund 50 per cent of the cost of the A5 upgrade, so that it is commenced and completed as quickly as possible, saving lives and enhancing the social and economic wellbeing of the North West region; and

— take all necessary steps to ensure that the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project for Donegal, connecting to the A5 and related N2 upgrades, receive approval and are delivered as speedily as possible.

When we bring a motion before this House, we do so because it is important - important to us and important to the people we represent. We bring motions to raise awareness, to demand action or to tell an important story. As elected representatives, we know that it takes a certain amount of ego to do this job and we always feel we are personally best placed to tell a story. Tonight, however, I readily admit that I am not best placed to tell this particular story, and nor is any Member of this House. If the rules of the Oireachtas allowed it, I think we would all be happy to cede our time in this debate to Kate Corrigan, who was in Leinster House today and joins us in the Public Gallery. Anyone who was in the audiovisual room today at a hearing organised by my colleague Deputy Doherty would not need to hear a single word other than those uttered by Kate to be convinced of the merits of the motion before us. They would be as determined as any member of the Enough is Enough campaign group to ensure there are no further delays in upgrading what is Ireland's most dangerous road, namely, the A5, and that the outstanding schemes on the linking N2 are advanced without delay.

Kate Corrigan gave us the human reality behind the statistics we will hear tonight. Kate’s son Nathan, along with Peter Finnegan and Peter McNamee, was killed on St. Stephen's Day, or Boxing Day as it is known in Tyrone, in 2021 when they were involved in a crash on the A5, just a short distance from the Corrigan home. The three men left behind devastated families. Kate spoke of the gap that Nathan's loss has created. This is a gap that will never be filled, except with sadness and heartache. They were just three of the 50 people who have died on the A5 since 2005. Of those deaths, ten occurred between October 2021 and October 2022. The trajectory is clear; the fatalities will continue unless this road is upgraded. From a road safety perspective alone there is no need for debate; the A5 must be upgraded. From an economic perspective, it is no accident that it is the communities along the entire route of the N2 and A5 that suffer from the highest levels of unemployment, emigration and deprivation and the lowest levels of public and private investment. Of course, all of that is not down to a single road but the A5 and the lack of action on it are certainly symptomatic of the problem.

We could discuss the reasons for the current situation. We could discuss the historic legacy of partition. We could discuss the fact that Governments in Dublin, London and Stormont had one thing in common, namely, systemic underinvestment in the Border region, the north west in particular. We could discuss the archaic planning system in the North that has allowed a tiny number of objectors to delay and frustrate progress that is clearly in the common good. We could discuss the historical and current underfunding by British Governments of infrastructure projects in the North. This underinvestment has ironically been exacerbated in the time since the Good Friday Agreement.

What we can do in this House, though, is take action to direct the Government to act upon previous commitments. I welcome the Government's indication that it will support this motion. This is an important first step but it must be followed by Government action. In the first instance, the Government's action must be a categorical statement that it will ensure that the 50% commitment regarding funding for this project will be adhered to. This must be about more than just saying the right thing. It has to be about doing the right thing. Rhetoric regarding the A5 will only count for something if it is also matched by action in respect of the N2 road linkage.

The regions that are not served and cannot be served in the short term by public transport need investment in our road networks to ensure that we can save lives and that never again will someone like Kate Corrigan have to come and bare their soul before the Members of this House. Let us make sure that in this instance it was not in vain. I appeal to the Government, the Minister of State in particular, to support this motion and, more important, to act upon it.

I welcome the fact that we can discuss this issue tonight. A number of weeks ago, I sat in a house in Newtownstewart with Patsy McSorley who had just lost his wife of 50 years. His daughter and granddaughter were also there and in the corner was what I would call a little shrine. There were flowers, a cross and a framed photograph of a bright, smiling woman, a happy-go-lucky person who lived life to the full. She left a huge emptiness, not just in that room but in the hearts of all those who knew her. Unfortunately, while Julia McSorley was one of the latest victims of the A5, she has not been the only one. A number of others died with her on that day. As my colleague has said, nearly 50 people have died on that road since 2006.

Earlier today, the Enough is Enough group gave its presentation. I think everybody in the room was seriously affected by Kate Corrigan's presentation when she spoke of what it meant to be woken up that morning by the PSNI at her door to be told her son of 20 was one of the latest victims of the A5. We could stand here today, especially someone from the north west, and speak about how important the upgrade is to unlock the potential of Donegal, Derry and the north-west region. We could speak about why it is so important for this Government to recommit to what it committed to in the St. Andrews Agreement back in 2006, when it agreed to co-finance this road. All of those arguments have already been made. The most powerful argument is that this road is a killer. It does not discriminate between young or old, rich or poor, North or South, nationalists or unionists. It is simply a killer. Too many families have lost their lives on this road. We are only talking about the most extreme cases here. We also heard that every fourth day, on average, a serious accident is reported to the PSNI on this road. These are not small hits or tips but serious accidents that are reported.

I am glad the Government does not oppose our motion. The House needs to speak with one voice on this matter. We need to speak with one voice brought together by all of the victims who have spoken out and given us their experiences of what this road has done to them. They have told us how this road has destroyed their families and caused so much pain, hurt and anger. It is for us in this House, right across the political spectrum, to say "enough is enough" and that we are as committed as the families are to make sure this road upgrade is delivered. The commitment that was given in the St. Andrews Agreement in 2006 must be one that this Government, or whatever Government is decided in this House in the future, delivers on. The principle of 50% funding is one that was made in 2006 and it is one that will be kept now. The Government needs to say that it will do everything in its power to ensure there is a positive outcome in relation to the determination made by the inquiry that has been in progress in Omagh for some weeks. That is the least we can do. As politicians and as people who listen to the families who have fallen victim, that is the decent thing to do.

We know the history of this road. My colleague spoke about the small number of people who are objecting to the upgrade and how it has been frustrated time and again. We are at a point where a decision will be made by the inquiry and submitted to the relevant Department and a decision will be made by the Department within the next year. It will then be time to build the road. I ask the Government and, in particular, the Minister of State who is speaking on behalf of the Government, to join with me and say "enough is enough". We hear the campaign led by Tyrone GAA who have lost too many of their up-and-coming young stars to this road. They finally said "enough is enough" and formed a group to spearhead a campaign. I ask the Minister of State to join with us and say "enough is enough" and the Government is committed to what was agreed in 2006. The Government must live up to the responsibility of co-financing the road and to do whatever it can, with the incoming Executive when it is restored and the British Government which is a party to the agreement, to make sure the A5 is upgraded. The crucial link roads in Donegal, from Letterkenny to Lifford and the N2, need to be part of the overall project.

I welcome members of the A5 Enough is Enough group to the Public Gallery. I commend them on their campaigning for the long overdue upgrade to the A5. I also pay my respects to the many families who have been bereaved as a result of accidents on this treacherous road. I commend all the speakers who outlined this issue in the audiovisual room earlier today. I mention especially Kate Corrigan who spoke so eloquently and shared with us the heart-wrenching account of the loss of her son Nathan, who died as a result of a road traffic accident on the A5. So many families have experienced the same thing. No one else should have to go through what Kate and others have experienced. Everything must be done to ensure the issue of this death trap is addressed.

We heard earlier that a serious accident takes place on the A5 every four days, on average. This cannot be allowed to continue. The Government must honour its original commitments to fund 50% of the cost of the A5 upgrade and take all the necessary steps to ensure the N2, the Clontibret to the Border road scheme and the Castleblayney to Ardee road scheme are also funded and delivered as speedily as possible.

The A5 upgrade was first announced in 2007 in order to transform a dangerous single-lane road into a much safer dual carriageway. It remains an unsafe road, with an increasing number of fatalities in recent years. People, young and old, continue to lose their lives on this route, leaving devastated families and communities behind.

The Government originally committed to funding 50% of this project, a critically important piece of infrastructure, but it withdrew this commitment in 2011. The national development plan indicates a current commitment of €75 million, which is well below the original €400 million, representing 50% of the original cost at €800 million, let alone the current estimated overall cost which is €1.6 billion. The N2, Clontibret to the Border, road scheme is a vital artery through the central Border region to the north west. It was originally commenced in 2008 but suspended in 2012. It is an important link to the A5 and has been identified as necessary for road safety. It was restarted in 2018 and a new preferred route corridor was published in early 2021. The project then entered its phase 3 design and environmental evaluation, but no funding was received in 2022 and this project was suspended once again.

The Castleblayney to Ardee section of the N2 road scheme received funding of €600,000 in 2023, but this has proven insufficient to allow design work to continue and consultant engineers had to be asked to stop work on this project. It is a fact that the continued delays to these schemes are costing lives. A commitment must be given that no more lives will be lost by further delays.

These projects are also extremely important for the social and economic development of the north west and the Border corridor region. The national development plan recognises the A5 as one of the "strategic investment priorities for a more connected island" and identifies the need for both sections of the N2 road scheme as key to supporting the development of the Border region.

The Northern and Western Regional Assembly also include these projects as a policy objective to support the growth ambitions for the region in the regional spatial and economic strategy. If an extended delay is experienced, the cost of these schemes will increase and surveys, investigation and design work will need to be repeated at further additional cost.

Further delays to the commencement of these projects will cost more lives and have a negative effect on the social and economic development of this region. These projects must be advanced and completed as quickly as possible to enhance road safety, save lives and to help develop the social and economic well-being of the north west and the Border region.

Since 2006, more than 50 lives have been lost on the A5. Ten deaths occurred between October 2021 and October 2022 alone. We cannot wait any longer. We must act to save lives and protect families from further heartbreak. The Government must honour its original commitment to fund 50% of the cost of the A5 upgrade and take all the necessary steps to ensure that the N2, both the Clontibret to the Border scheme, and the Castleblayney to Ardee road scheme, are funded and delivered as speedily as possible. There cannot be any more delays or any more lives lost.

I am glad that the Government has indicated that it will not oppose the motion, but more importantly, the Government needs to step up to the mark and put in place the funding required to deliver on these vitally important infrastructure projects.

All too often, systems that are in place fail our people. The planning system in the North of Ireland has profoundly failed the people of the north west - Donegal, Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Sligo, Cavan and Monaghan. There is an overwhelming desire to have equality of access and infrastructure for our people with the rest of the island. When we look at the map we can see, rightly so, motorways and train links connecting communities across the island. As the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, knows, there is a huge deficit in our region. The system utterly failed us. It allowed a small minority of voices to hold back, prevent and block what was for the overwhelming good of all of our people. That is a system that is not fit for purpose.

Sometimes when systems fail, it takes the powerful voices of ordinary people, who never wanted to be in that position, to make the change. On the night of the launch of Enough is Enough, there were some powerful speeches. One of them that was played back to us earlier on was from Peter Canavan, the great Gaelic footballer from Tyrone. Peter talked about a memory that never left him. He is from that area. A beloved member of staff in the local school was knocked down, and they saw her lying on the side of the road. That never left him. Earlier tonight, we had Kate Corrigan. Kate should not have to come here and tell her story of the devastation her family has experienced because of the loss of her son. I said to her earlier that sometimes the victim who tells his or her story - somebody who has been utterly failed - is far more powerful than all the MPs, TDs and MLAs that we could put there. When people who have been failed speak out, they speak to the decency of most people and they shame us that the system that is in place has failed them. That has to stop and we have to make sure now that the A5 project proceeds.

I am pleased that the Government supports this motion, because it means that the commitment that was made all those years ago for a 50:50 funding for this road is now back on the table again. That is what this motion means tonight. That is an important message when we get these planning issues finally resolved. It is thanks to the communities who rose up in Tyrone, who are backed by all the communities in the counties around them 100%.

I also want to talk about the projects in Donegal; the TEN-T project and the road and route improvement project, because they face delays too. The Ballybofey to Stranorlar bypass has been delayed for years. The Letterkenny relief road has also been delayed for years. We have a situation where there are logjams, in particular in Letterkenny, but also in Ballybofey and Stranorlar, because of the failure to deliver road projects. The systems in place have failed our people but there is finally momentum there too. This TEN-T project is being well led by the national road design office. It wants to connect Letterkenny by means of a dual carriageway through Manorcunningham into Lifford. It is all about making sure that we have the full benefit of the A5 when it happens for the people of Donegal, with the TEN-T improvement project, and also of course for Monaghan, Meath, Louth and Cavan in terms of the N2 and all the related roads connecting them.

Our people deserve equality of access, and the systems have failed them North and South, but there is real momentum now. There are really capable people driving the project in Donegal. Deputy Doherty and I can speak with real authority about that. They are very capable people and they have got a great plan. They have submitted the business plan to the Government and we need the Government to get behind it. That is what this motion also says tonight.

My final comment is that our people are united in Donegal, Tyrone, Derry, Fermanagh, Sligo, Cavan and Monaghan. We are united with one voice to say that we want the same access, the same citizenship and the same respect as everybody else in every community on this island.

If I have time, I will share with Deputy Brendan Smith.

As Members have stated, I confirm that the Government is not opposing this motion. I thank the Members opposite for their contributions and sincerity on this issue. Many of us here have met with some of the local people who have been campaigning for many years to see the A5 improved. The number of those killed or injured on the existing road is a sobering statistic and the rationale for an improved A5 has been very well set out now over many years. I acknowledge all of the group from the Enough is Enough campaign who are here, and also people who related their personal experiences earlier today. I know how difficult it has been for many of their communities over a significant period. Collectively, we must make progress on this issue, so I appreciate their contributions earlier today, and also the Members opposite for putting this motion forward.

Like other contributors, I am conscious that the project is subject to a statutory process. However, that does not mean we cannot discuss the issues or facts and outline our positions.

As others have stated, the A5 is an important transport corridor on the island of Ireland, which provides much-needed access to the north-west region as a whole. Its importance is recognised in the national planning framework. National strategic outcome 2, enhanced regional accessibility, specifically calls for improved access to the north west, specifying the A5 as one of the routes to be upgraded. The importance of the A5 upgrade has long been recognised by the Irish Government. That is why the policy support, as restated in the national planning framework, also takes the form of financial commitments made by this and previous Governments. These financial commitments have formed the cornerstone of North-South and British-Irish agreements in recent years, including the Fresh Start agreement of 2015 and the New Decade, New Approach agreement in 2020. As stated in those agreements, the Government previously committed a total £75 million toward the A5 and that commitment still stands. It should be noted that this contribution is in addition to the £22 million already given by the Government between 2009 and 2012 towards early planning and design of the project.

At this stage, we all recognise we do not actually have an approved project. Therefore, the finer details of the exact scope of the final project is yet to be determined in some respects. I am aware that, as others have stated, the costs associated with the project have risen significantly and are now reported to be approximately £1.6 billion. The overall funding package for this project is, presumably, the subject of ongoing discussion between the relevant Northern authorities and the UK Government and will, no doubt, reflect commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement and wider discussions. The Government is committed to investing in our shared island and we look forward to seeing a finalised project with definitive timelines and costs. The Department of Transport and the Department for Infrastructure engage extensively on a range of common issues. The upgrade of the A5 is one of the issues on which there will be continued engagement in the coming period.

As recognised in the motion, the Government is investing in the north west in a number of different ways. The A5, while vital, is not the only significant road project being funded by the Government in the region. Donegal County Council has developed a significant programme of strategic road improvement projects in recent years. This programme has benefited from Connecting Europe Facility, CEF, funding from the European Commission with co-funding provided by the Department of Transport. The programme will see improvements around Ballybofey to Letterkenny to Manorcunningham and, importantly, Manorcunningham to Lifford, which links in directly to the A5. I expect to see these projects progress to planning by the end of the year, which would be welcome and a significant step forward for all the communities involved.

In Monaghan, I was delighted to see the council's success in this year's CEF funding announcement with €2.3 million being allocated by the Commission towards the N2 Clontibret to the Border project. Like the Donegal projects, this project is being match-funded by the Department and the upgrades planned for the N2 will directly link into the upgraded A5 near Aughnacloy. Further south, the N2 Ardee to Castleblayney project is also being funded by the Government and will see a 32 km upgraded route serving the north west. It ultimately will form part of a much improved transport spine all the way through counties Louth, Monaghan, Tyrone, Derry and Donegal, a true gateway to the north west, delivering improved access and a much safer motoring environment for all.

The Government's commitment to enhancing access to the north west is clear. An ambitious range of projects are at differing stages of development, North and South, and will transform the region for the better in the years ahead.

That commitment is not only to roads improvements, important as they are. In public transport, funding for new and improved regional bus services under Connecting Ireland is continuing with improvements planned for Counties Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal this year, building on the services that were rolled out last year. The all-island strategic rail review will be published for environmental consultation this summer, before being presented for Government approval later in the year. It will also include significant proposals for better connectivity in the north west.

On active travel, there are a number of great examples of North-South co-operation and joint funding on a range of projects, including the Ulster Canal Greenway, the Sligo to Enniskillen greenway, the Carlingford greenway and the north west greenway network.

These projects are a testament to the close co-operation and extensive engagement between relevant Departments I mentioned earlier in relation to the A5 and demonstrate how both jurisdictions can come together to fund projects of a shared interest. All these investments speak to the importance the Government places in our shared island. As stated in the national development plan, NDP, the Government wants to build a more connected, prosperous and sustainable island for all the communities and traditions that share the island. The NDP is clear that the A5 project is a strategic investment priority for a more connected island and notes that the Government will work with the Northern Irish Executive to pursue opportunities in public investment, planning and delivery. We all agree on the importance of the A5 project and we can all agree on the importance of ensuring much better access to the north-west region.

I thank the campaigners who took the time to travel to Dublin today to set out their concerns and the concerns of their communities about the current state of the A5. Members of Tyrone GAA are also here. I was happy to meet them with some of my colleagues in recent months. The statistics are important but, terrible as they are, they only tell us the facts. The stories we heard from many earlier today told us about the real impact those facts have on families and communities. As I stated, the Government stands by the commitments it has made to the project thus far, building on the financial contributions already made a decade or more ago. The rationale to upgrade the road has been well made and is well known. I look forward to the conclusion of the statutory process, I hope by the end of the year, to provide a basis for further engagement and progress to take this project forward. I appreciate Sinn Féin tabling the motion this evening.

I thank the Minister of State for giving me some time. I endorse the Minister of State's comments. I was glad to accompany him in County Monaghan to meet members of the A5 Enough is Enough committee, where they outlined in great detail the concerns of the local community throughout County Tyrone and of people who traverse that road going to the north west.

Whenever I drive that road, I am always struck by the huge volume of heavy goods vehicles. Far too often I have watched "BBC Newsline" and UTV Northern Ireland news reports and heard the terrible anguish of families who have lost siblings, sons, daughters, parents and other family members. I strongly compliment the great strength of character of those family members who have come forward to outline the pain and anguish they have gone through and still go through. We are all struck by those personal testimonies. It takes great people to be able to go public and outline what they have been through and what their families still go through.

A few years ago - I think it was in 2013 or 2014 - at the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, I arranged for representatives of Donegal County Council, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Mid-Ulster District Council, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and Monaghan County Council to make a presentation to a meeting of the committee which was attended by officials from the Department of Transport and the then National Roads Authority. The one thing that struck me was that we often do not comprehend the huge population that is served by that artery. It is a main artery.

The first thing we have in mind is road safety. People should be safe when they travel these roads. However, there is also an economic aspect to it. If we are to realise the economic potential of the region, we must have proper connectivity. Unfortunately, those of us who live in south Ulster do not have a rail service. We are totally dependent on the road network. I am glad the Minister of State has been helpful in getting further investment for the N2, which is needed. It is an integral part of the N2-A5 road project that will open up the north west. Again, it will complement the A5 project and is essential for us to continue to build the all-Ireland economy we have seen develop so much since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998.

I take this opportunity to again commend the people with us today. I have met quite a few of them in the past. It is a joy to listen to the arguments they put forward so cogently, passionately and with such conviction. We all share their concerns and want to see that road committed to. I am glad my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, has again committed Government funding to this important project for all of our island.

Ar dtús, cuirim fáilte roimh an ngrúpa feachtasaíochta atá tagtha anseo go Baile Átha Cliath inniu chun an feachtas atá acu a chur faoi bhráid na Dála. Tá sé sin fíorthábhachtach.

I welcome the campaign group and thank its members for bringing their campaign here and allowing us the privilege of hearing them speak. We often have presentations in the audiovisual room but I have never been at a briefing there as touching and moving as the presentation I heard today when the Enough is Enough campaign group spoke. A number of things stood out to me. One was the impact that the road has had on every part of the community. When the campaign group was formed, those involved went into a meeting and noticed that many of its members were impacted by the road in such a devastating way that each family had their own devastating story to tell and share. That spurred them on in this campaign.

My colleagues spoke earlier about the very moving story that Kate Corrigan told today. She described how her life was changed forever as a result of the death of her son on this road. She told us clearly that the work she is doing on this campaign - and I see from the passion of all the people who spoke that this is also true of them - is to ensure that no other family gets that devastating knock on the door and that no other family has to endure the pain from the devastating news she was told on that day.

We know the reality is that far too many families have lost a loved one on the road. We have heard the numbers involved. The reality is that for every single one of those numbers, a family, friend group and community is utterly devastated as a result of that loss. The fact is we have the ability to transform this situation and these communities, to save lives by doing the work on this road. It would be unthinkable not to take the action that is needed.

Earlier today, I had the opportunity to speak to a friend from Tyrone who explained to me the real impact of the road as she grew up. She said that as a child, she was terrified of the road because she was told how dangerous it was. That fear continues to this day. She is now an adult who drives that road and feels real fear when she is on it.

I know the Minister of State understands this and understands its importance. One of the figures we heard earlier stood out to me. Every four days, there is a serious accident on the road. If we get this road delivered, we can change the situation completely. It is clear that the most important thing is that we save lives.

I welcome to the Gallery the people from the A5 campaign Enough is Enough.

As a Dub, I have been travelling to Derry for many decades. My journey on the A5 started many years ago when I made my first visit to Derry for the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign. In those days, we did not stay in hotels or bed and breakfast accommodation. The people of Derry opened their homes to us to enable us to stay up and support them in their fight for justice. That trip led me to meeting friends who I still visit every year, sometimes several times a year, using the A5, starting at Aughnacloy, passing through Omagh and Strabane, and going on to Derry. It is one of the most dangerous roads I have ever driven on. We are always very conscious of that when we drive on it.

Eight years ago, we discovered that my wife's birth mother, Mary Ellen, who sadly passed away this month, lived in Derry. This led us to travel to Derry on a biweekly basis. It brings me back. In the early days, we used to brag that the roads in the North were always far superior to those in the South. That certainly cannot be the case now in respect of the A5 or, indeed, the A1, which we also use regularly. They are both dangerous and need to be upgraded.

I recently listened to Deputies Mac Lochlainn and Doherty talk about the A5. They shared a statistic I was unaware of and my jaw dropped when I heard that 47 people have lost their lives on that road in recent years. The most tragic accident of all happened recently when three members of the same family lost their lives just outside Aughnacloy. Those are 47 families that have lost a loved one, brother, father, mother, sister, aunt, uncle or friend. Those lives cannot be replaced.

I welcome the continued commitment of the Irish Government and the Minister of State to the upgrade of this road. I urge that the changes in the cost as a result of delay are fully met. We know that the costs are not in any way near what was initially expected but that must not be a barrier to this development. Finally, I urge those people who are objecting to the project and who have held it up to work with the community to ensure this upgrade happens. No one should have any doubt but that lives have been lost and families devastated, and people have suffered life-changing injuries. There should also be no doubt but that this upgrade will save lives. I again thank those in the Gallery for coming down.

The A5 - enough is enough. That is the message that must be agreed across this House. We can talk about the fact that planning in the North has been disastrous. A small number of objectors have been able to hold up this project. We know the issues in relation to partition and underinvestment in the Border areas, particularly in the north west. We could talk about regional imbalance until tomorrow morning and probably longer. We know it is an absolute necessity from a financial point of view to open this part of Ireland. That goes without saying. However, the fact is that since 2006, over 50 people have died on this stretch of road. Ten died between October 2021 and October 2022. Kate Corrigan has put it absolutely straightforwardly. It would be better if she were here, as Deputy Carthy and others have said, to speak to us about the devastation of losing Nathan and to speak for all those other people who have lost family members. That is the reality. Our failure to deliver this project has led to that particular set of circumstances.

We have control over where we are now. I appreciate what the Minister of State has said. It sounds hopeful in respect of Government commitments. The Government is obviously not opposing the motion. What the Minister of State has said makes it sound as if we are going to have a shared island-type commitment. I urge the Government to put its money where its mouth is, as it has in respect of some other projects. I am thinking in particular of my own constituency. We need to see this as soon as possible.

There is something that frightens me. The Narrow Water Bridge seems to be in a better place. The Minister of State spoke eloquently and positively about the planning conditions in Donegal. He said projects that are absolutely necessary to link in other roads with the A5 are moving on. He spoke of Clontibret to the Border. He also spoke about the N2 from Castleblayney to Ardee. The problem is that Deputies Carthy, Tully and I, as well as others with an interest in that particular part of the world, have had talks, negotiations and an enormous amount of correspondence with the Minister and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. We have all received an answer to the effect that an allocation of €600,000 was made to Monaghan County Council, the lead local authority, for the N2 Ardee to south of Castleblayney bypass scheme in 2023 to meet project commitments up to March 2023. The scheme is currently suspended in phase 3, the design and environmental evaluation phase of TII's project management guidelines.

We know we have an issue with regard to our planning process and how projects are delivered. We need to see action on the commitment the Minister of State has given in respect of the A5. We do not only need positive words.

We need to see delivery in relation to these particular parts of the project so that we can deliver something that is absolutely safe. That is what the people of that part of the world and the people who are here from the campaign group in the Gallery deserve. I would like to think that whoever is to respond here will come through with a solemn promise that there will be delivery across the board for this entire project.

People Before Profit welcomes and will support this motion. The A5 should have been completed a long time ago. One reason it has fallen behind is that, both North and South, environmental issues were not given any priority in the original design of the road. It was left to individual citizens, mainly in the North, to lobby and even go to court to try to compel the authorities to fulfil their duties regarding nature and biodiversity. The result has been delay after delay and serious cost overruns.

The cross-Border dimension of the A5 highlights that problems of transport cannot be addressed within one part of this island. Whether it is roads or rail, we will either have all-island solutions or no solutions at all. Both North and South, there is an east-west divide. Belfast sucks investment at the expense of Derry and Fermanagh. Meanwhile, the growth of Dublin deprives Donegal and Sligo of a fair shot at fixing their problems. We need a transport system which leaves no county or region behind. The A5 has to be a key part of this, as does a decent rail service. If one took a map from 1920, one would see an extensive network of rail services that serviced that part of the island but now there is absolute desolation in relation to railway services. We need not to depend on roads and perhaps have an alternative to the car, and that should be rail services.

Bringing the A5 up to standard will not solve all our transport problems but without a safe clean modern A5, it is hard to see how other transport challenges can be met. This is not a question of roads versus rail. It is notable that, generally speaking, the areas across the island with the worst roads are the areas with no rail service at all. One final lesson we can learn from the A5 saga is that the interests of the environment should be from the outset a central factor in the planning of any future infrastructural projects on this island.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le Sinn Féin mar gheall ar an rún seo a thabhairt os comhair na Dála inniu. Is rún uafásach tábhachtach é. Tá sé dochreidte go bhfuil muid ag fanacht an méid seo ama le haghaidh an bhóthair seo agus tá sé dochreidte go bhfuil an méid sin daoine tar éis a mbeatha a chailleadh ar an mbóthar seo le fada an lá.

I thank the Enough is Enough campaign for its efforts to bring to the fore, publicly and politically, this particular campaign. I thank them for their presence in the Dáil here today. I also thank Tyrone GAA for the efforts it has made to ensure this campaign has been lifted to national prominence. I want to give special thanks to Ms Kate Corrigan who lost her son in a road traffic collision on the A5 in County Tyrone. I pay tribute to Ms Corrigan's courage in making her presentation in the audiovisual room in Leinster House today and to the work she has been doing over the past number of years on this matter. It is heartbreaking to think that any parent would be faced with such devastating news. The manner in which Kate has dealt with that, in terms of trying to make sure this does not happen to any other family in the region, is amazing. I am sure she does not want our thanks and our tributes. I imagine that she wants political action, and that is what is demanded of us here in Leinster House and is demanded of politicians right across Ireland, North and South.

The A5 is not just unsafe; it is a deathtrap. It is incredible that nearly 50 people have been killed on that road since 2006, a year before the initial upgrade was announced. It is a damning indictment of the political system that after an upgrade was announced, the process has taken so long that 50 citizens have lost their lives in that period of time. In recent years, it is incredible that this road has led to a death every four months. It is an incredible figure for any state, North or South, to stand over. The A5 upgrade is a monument to brutal maladministration that is happening. It is an absolute disgrace that such dysfunction has been allowed to continue in the planning process in the North. It is incredible that the concerns of a small group of opponents to the road can outweigh in planning terms the value of 50 human beings. No matter what scales one uses to try to judge this particular upgrade, it is disgraceful that the views, worries or concerns of a small group of people can be placed at the same value as 50 human lives and that any planning process would allow for that. The A5 upgrade is also a monument to political failure. The political system has failed the hundreds of people who have been killed or seriously injured on that road. The truth of the matter is, North and South, the political system should be ashamed of itself for allowing this to continue for so long without a solution.

Given how grave the experiences have been for the families, we should not heap insults onto those families by any empty words here today. I believe that political platitudes from any quarter are simply not acceptable. What is necessary is real plans, real timelines, real funding, real action and real commitment. That is the only response that is justified in terms of the horror that has been experienced by so many families, especially in the north-west area.

I also believe that the A5 is a monument to partition and the dysfunction that partition wreaks on spatial planning and development. The A5 shows, in black and white, in material facts, that partition significantly disadvantages pretty much all aspects of life, whether it is the lopsided infrastructure that affects the Border area, the lack of development that has resulted from the lack of infrastructure or the lower incomes that are experienced. In terms of lives lost, there is definitely a significant cost to partition. Ireland's infrastructure is incredibly lopsided. A child looking at a map of Ireland for a couple of minutes could tell the Minister of State quickly the areas that are deemed important by the State and the areas that are not deemed important by the State. In reality, if one follows the money, one will follow what is important to a government. If one follows the investment, one will follow what is deemed important to a government. When one looks at Ireland, one sees that the quarter of the country between the Dublin to Belfast motorway and the Dublin to Galway motorway has been significantly let down by previous governments, leading to economic development reductions, lower incomes and far more dangerous transportation. I include the N2 as a symptom of that problem as well.

The N2 runs through my county. The N2 is an extremely dangerous road. Many people have been killed on that road. It is often discussed as a road of high collision rates. Slane, in my own county, has for years looked for a bypass. If one drives up the steep hill in Slane, one will still see the row of crosses that stands there as a monument to the people who have lost their lives as a result of Slane waiting for a bypass. One of the reasons we have such a proliferation of heavy goods vehicles on that road is the lack of a rail line to the north west of the country. The only rail line in that direction is a rail line that stops at Pace. It does not make it up to Derry or to Belfast, which would take people off that road and goods off that road as well.

I ask myself whether it would happen anywhere else in Ireland. Would it happen in Dublin that you had a road where 50 people died in 17 years? That would not have been accepted by the State. There would be outrage if a road was to continue in bad condition for that length of time leading to such deaths.

It simply would not happen. If this were Dublin, that project would be in the rearview mirror by some distance by now. Again, we have a very Dublin-centric Government. We have one constituency in south Dublin where all the Deputies are Ministers or Ministers of State and we have ten counties, mostly in Connacht-Ulster, where there is no Minister at all. That is incredible. We have very much a Dublin-centric administration in this country. That has to change. If regions are equal, they should get equal treatment in terms of investment.

Aontú fully supports this motion. We fully support the campaign. We believe this needs to be rectified as soon as possible. We understand the Planning Appeals Commission has finalised its public inquiry and the report is expected at the end of this year. It is imperative that this be the last Administration and the last Dáil to allow this deathtrap to exist anymore.

I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this very important motion. I welcome the people from the North, from County Tyrone and elsewhere, who are here to agitate for their road to be improved. In that vein, I will support them if there is a vote.

We see in County Kerry what is happening to us, as I outlined earlier, regarding our proposed Killarney bypass. The most recent record of the number of vehicles that passed along that road on any day is-----

The Deputy is not going to test me by talking about the roads in Kerry. This debate is very specific.

It is about the A5 and not about anything else.

I know how committed the Deputy is to every road and bóithrín in Kerry-----

The problem emanates from when the Government decided to give 2:1 funding in favour of public transport rather than our roads infrastructure.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael succumbed to the tail wagging the dog, or the Green Party, on this. We do not see much public transport. I do not know what people in the north west see by way of public transport, but we do not see it in Kerry anyway. Rather, we see big, flashy buses in Dublin, double-deckers or whatever, and one or two people at the most inside them. That is where the money is going. It is not going to Kerry to the Killarney bypass or the 673 local improvement schemes that are still on the list in Kerry. I am sure that permeates the counties the people present represent.

That is what is happening. We are not getting our fair share. People are paying their motor tax and every other kind of tax, but whole lanes of traffic are choked day after day. The Government says this is supposed to help with our carbon footprint but if people are twice as long in their cars waiting to go somewhere because they are held up in traffic and the traffic will not move, the argument for that is long gone. I support the people from the north west, and Belfast or wherever, on their motion tonight.

You are not promoting the roads of Kerry. Is Deputy Michael Healy-Rae going to start the same thing?

I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this very important motion. The A5 route linking North and South is a critical piece of infrastructure and a major route for people living and working in the Border counties and across the north west. The A5 road from Aughnacloy to Derry is in urgent need of upgrades to improve safety and reduce fatalities. This road development project is vital to the economy and people of Donegal and the north west. The current state of the A5 road is deeply concerning with an increasing number of fatalities in recent years. We cannot ignore the devastating impact of these accidents on families and their communities.

People in the North are not the only ones affected. We are also the victims of a Minister who is the only Minister with responsibility for roads I have ever known of who hates building roads. He does not want us to build roads. We have €1 million a day in Ireland, or €365 million a year, for cycleways and paths for walking, which is great, but we would like a little money for roads as well. We would like to have a Minister who keeps his interfering nose out of stopping vital road projects that we want, not just in Kerry but throughout the rest of the country. That is wrong. It is blackguarding and it is reprehensible to think that we have a Minister who would endanger the lives of people and upset working people, who are the people who pay his wages, by not allowing road projects to go ahead, as well as being interfering, dilly-dallying, and what else I would not like to say, in interfering with work. He might not be that interested in work but some of us are.

I very much support Sinn Féin Members in this. They are right to bring this to the floor of the House. It gives us a chance to highlight that there is more to life than snails, frogs, birds and the like. There is a thing called human beings. We are interested in protecting species but we are also interested in protecting the human species, when it comes to transporting them from A to B. Every species is important, including human beings.

I am also very happy to support the Sinn Féin motion on road infrastructure and the A5, given the clear need that exists for this project linking the North to the South as well as other projects like it, which support regional growth in areas and counties that have been historically underrepresented as regards levels of investment and job creation. Any Minister who holds back road infrastructure is holding back jobs and regions from attaining regional balance, which is unfair. Many areas are being held back, including my constituency of Laois-Offaly.

I recently raised a similar issue with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, after it confirmed to me that there will be no progress in the foreseeable future on delivering the long-awaited N80 Mountmellick bypass, which was first proposed as far back as 1988. We have also seen unacceptable delays to the Tullamore-Kilbeggan route, which has been constantly raised with Deputies in the context of progressing our regions. We need this critical infrastructure.

I hope the Minister of State will have some influence in delivering these projects for us because we just cannot continue to be held back. We need clarity on what is happening. There are legitimate concerns that plans for bypasses and many other roads are being shelved simply because they conflict with objectives relating to the Government's climate action agenda. Very clearly, the Green Party continues to have influence in every area of Government policy. This is yet again another sad of example of that.

The motion is about far more than the A5 and addressing its dire safety record. It is about fairness for all the regions and some measure of economic equality as regards investment. That is why I fully support the motion.

I will give 100% support to this Sinn Féin motion. I thank its Members for bringing it forward. The A5 route linking the North and South is a critical piece of infrastructure and a major route for people living and working in the Border counties and across the north west. The A5 route from Aughnacloy to Derry is in urgent need of upgrades to improve safety and reduce fatalities. I heard many stories through my office while other Deputies talked about the fatalities happening on this road. I give sincere sympathies to families who have lost loved ones, probably due to very unsafe roads. This road development project is vital to the economy and people of Donegal and the north west. The current state of the A5 road is concerning, with an increasing number of fatalities in recent years. We cannot ignore the devastating impact these accidents have on families and communities.

We do not want to steer too far away from the topic, but there are severe problems in west Cork where roads are equally dangerous. As I travelled to the House at 6 a.m. on the main thoroughfare from Clonakilty to Bandon, which is a main road where it could be expected that big business would take place, 35 cars were held up behind a cow box. That poor gentleman was going about his business but he held up 35 cars behind him. That will tell you what the road infrastructure in west Cork is like. It is appalling. It is astonishingly bad.

There is €10 billion on the way, so prosperity is on the way when it comes to roads. I will be supporting this critical piece of infrastructure, not just for the greater economy of the areas concerned, but also for the fact that it will help to save lives. That comes above everything else.

There are dangers on our roads. They are outdated and full of potholes, yet little money is being spent on them. Massive money is being spent on footpaths. You could nearly land a helicopter on some of the footpaths but two lorries cannot pass each other on the same road. For the life of me, I cannot understand how any engineers have a job. I can show the Minister of State proof of where two lorries cannot pass each other on new stretches of road. They have to go up on a footpath because the footpaths were extended out onto the roads. It is insane. At the same time, there could be a fine grass margin inside them.

I hope that if money is given to this project, the same mistakes will not be made as are being made on many of the roads in west Cork, where the little money that is being spent is being used to make landing strips of footpaths instead of making roads safe. I sincerely hope the people in the constituency where this crisis has arisen and where there are such unfortunate fatalities will get some ease as they listen tonight and will know there will at least be some way forward after this.

I was just thinking that if I had a hat, I would take it off to the Rural Independent Group. They are inspirational advocates of the Tip O’Neill school, that all politics is-----

All politics is local.

The Rural Independents definitely are.

Fair play to them. We will move to Deputy Pringle who knows the local situation.

I do indeed. This is actually local to my area. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak to this motion and Sinn Féin for bringing it forward. More than anyone, I want to thank the A5 Enough is Enough group, which was established in November last year in response to the horrific and untimely deaths on the A5 of too many in their community. I welcome them to the Gallery.

The A5 is an extremely dangerous road that runs through Tyrone and Derry. It is used by many of my constituents in Donegal because it forms part of the main road link from Dublin to Donegal. I have used the road many times on my way to Dublin from various parts of Donegal, so I know exactly how unsafe it is. At least 47 people have died along this 86 km stretch of road since a plan to upgrade the entire route to a dual carriageway was approved by the Assembly at Stormont in 2007. That is shocking and it is clear that something needs to be quickly done to address the matter.

The Enough is Enough group is calling on the project to go ahead and for the new A5 to be built immediately in order to save lives. It states that in order to start saving lives right now, road improvements, such as better lighting at junctions, overtaking lanes and improved signs, should be installed in the meantime and as soon as possible. Even if the new A5 were to start, the current road will be in use for a number of years. We should be prioritising making Irish roads as safe as possible for road users and saving as many lives as we possibly can across the island. The A5 route is also extremely important infrastructure, linking the North and South of our country. It is a major route for those living and working in Border counties such as Donegal and across the north west.

There are many social and economic reasons for us to ensure the A5 is upgraded. It was recently reported that, based on disposable income, Donegal is the poorest county in Ireland, with average disposable incomes 22% below the State average. There is no doubt the lack of infrastructure in the county and across the north west impacts the local economy. Improvements in the region's infrastructure are desperately needed if real improvements are to be made to the local economy.

Unfortunately, people in the north west cannot rely on public transport to travel because the area is so badly connected. However, we are forced to travel because of the lack of facilities in the area, meaning a car is a must in the region. I have spoken many times of how the high level of forced car ownership in the north west, increased car ownership and dangerous roads will, unfortunately, lead to many more accidents. Despite this, the Government continues to drag its heels. It needs to take action and support the actions required to bring about an end to a process that is now more than 15 years long. Work on the new A5 needs to begin as soon as possible. Further delays to the project will only cost more lives and will continue to have a negative effect on the development of the north west.

The Government also needs to ensure upgrade projects for other routes connecting to the A5 are approved and delivered as quickly as possible, including the N2 Ardee to Castleblayney scheme, the Clontibret to the Border road scheme and the TEN-T upgrade in Donegal. It is for this reason that I support today’s motion. I support the call on the Government to "honour the commitment to fund 50 per cent of the cost of the A5 upgrade, so that it is commenced and completed as quickly as possible, saving lives and enhancing the social and economic wellbeing of the North West region" and to take "all necessary steps to ensure that the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project for Donegal, connecting to the A5 and related N2 upgrades, receive approval and are delivered as speedily as possible".

I also call on the Government to do more to ensure that road safety messaging is being delivered to all road users and to further educate people on the danger of driving on the A5 and many other roads in the north-west region. The Road Safety Authority, RSA, has been making great efforts to educate young people in schools about the dangers of roads. I encourage it to expand its reach to include other organisations. I applaud the A5 Enough is Enough group for involving local and county GAA clubs in its campaign.

We should be making every possible effort to ensure that people of all ages and backgrounds in the north west are informed and aware of the dangers that are posed by many of the roads they frequently use. The main solution to this is the A5 upgrade, which has to happen urgently. I welcome the fact the report is due to be published by the end of the year. There should be no delays from that point onwards to ensure the new A5 is delivered for everybody in the region.

I will speak on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I thank all Deputies for their contributions. I appreciate that I am not in the Department of Transport but I am a member of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, which has discussed the importance of this matter. Therefore, while I do not come to this issue from a transport perspective, I am well aware of its importance. I note that the Government is not opposing the motion.

I am also aware, having watched the debate, that in both the motion itself and in the contributions of Deputies during the debate, there is support for the A5 project on all sides. However, as previously noted, the timings in relation to the A5 were dependent on a number of variables, including the report of the recently concluded public inquiry, an assumption of no further legal challenges and an agreement of a target cost with the contractor. However, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland is planning on the basis of the commencement of construction next year and completion, with the scheme closed out, by 2032 or 2033.

The motion notes that good transport links to the north west are vital for those who are working and living in the region. I will go into some further detail on connectivity between the north west and the rest of the country for those Deputies who are not from the region. I appreciate that I am speaking to many Deputies who are from the area. This outline is for the benefit of the House more broadly.

The regional airports programme 2021 to 2025 supports regional connectivity via a public service obligation, PSO, or air services scheme in accordance with EU Regulation 1008/2008. Based on a competitive tender process, financial support is provided under this scheme for airlines to operate essential air services to isolated areas, in other words, areas that are not adequately served by alternative transport services to administrative, business, education and medical centres. This scheme currently supports one PSO route between Donegal and Dublin. The current contract in place commenced on 26 February 2022 and will run for three years, with the provision to extend for one further year. This contract provides two-way air services twice daily, which facilitates same-day return trips from Donegal and improves international connectivity from Dublin. This demonstrates the Government’s commitment to ensuring continued connectivity to that region. In line with the Government’s commitment to balanced regional development, this service will continue to support the growth of the economy and tourism in the north-west region, as well as improve accessibility for the good people of Donegal.

I will now speak more broadly on improvements in public transport that have been presented to me by the Department of Transport. I should note that I have not used these services and the Deputies present will be much more familiar with them than I am. I am told by the Department of Transport that examples of new and improved bus services include a new service between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny, route 264, as well as additional capacity on services in Inishowen. Investment has also taken place in Local Link services in counties Monaghan and Cavan. In March 2022, tickets for TFI Local Link Cavan-Monaghan services became available on the TFI Go app, making Cavan-Monaghan the first TFI Local Link in the country to accept cashless payments on its service. Since then, the TFI Go app has launched nationally on TFI Local Link services, meaning that all regular rural services now accept cashless payments, offering passengers a more convenient way to pay and savings of up to 30% compared with cash.

The all-island strategic rail review is being undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. It will inform the development of the railway sector on the island of Ireland to 2050, in line with net-zero commitments in both jurisdictions. Work on the review is now at an advanced stage and it is expected that a draft will be published for the purposes of strategic environmental assessment, SEA, and public consultation in July.

Following the SEA process and finalisation of the report, it is expected that it will be submitted for final ministerial and Government approval on both sides of the Border. Should there continue to be an absence of Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, approval will be considered, taking into account the decision-making framework set out in the UK's Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022, or relevant legislation in place at the time. It is expected that the final review will be published in the autumn of 2023. The review has proposals for improving rail connectivity to the north west.

The broad intent of this motion is in line with the principles of this Government and the commitments it has made to help progress the A5 project in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland. While it is the case that in the context of the St. Andrews Agreement in 2007 the Irish Government stated a commitment to provide £400 million towards the project, that commitment has long been superseded by developments, and the current commitment is as stated in the NDP. The current funding commitment under the Stormont House Agreement and implementation plan is £75 million. The Government has made provision for £25 million in its NDP capital ceilings for 2023 and a further £50 million is what I am told will be available in subsequent years. I would not mind checking that and coming back to the House to confirm that those figures are in pound sterling as opposed to any other currency. I will double-check that. I thank Deputies for their time.

I commend the A5 Enough is Enough campaign. I thank my colleague, Deputy Doherty, for ensuring we had the opportunity to hear Niall McKenna, Brendan Hurl, Plunkett Nugent, Peter Canavan and, above all, Kate Corrigan today. One of my colleagues said earlier that Kate's was one of the most moving contributions they had ever heard in the audiovisual room. Kate heartbreaking words as she spoke about her beloved son Nathan were profound and unforgettable. Nathan and his friends Peter Finnegan and Peter McNamee are no longer with us because of the failure to upgrade the A5. It is 17 years and almost 50 deaths since the St. Andrews Agreement promised the delivery of the A5 upgrade. That is aside from the life-changing injuries suffered by people after the road accidents that have occurred. I welcome that the Government is supporting this motion but that support must be translated into providing 50% of the money to fund the A5 in its entirety, as promised.

I commend Tyrone GAA on its dedication to this campaign; it has made a difference. We heard that it has been 6,000 days and that millions have been spent but still there is no upgrade. How much are the lives of almost 50 people worth? How much is one life worth? Unfortunately, Kate Corrigan and her family know the answer to that. Today must be the day we assure Kate and all the other bereaved families that no other family will have to endure the suffering she is living with every day. The collective voice of this House tonight must lead to action.

I am not going to list every road in Mayo but I live in Belmullet in the north of the county, which has known multiple tragedies and loss from road traffic accidents. We know what it is like to be at the end of the line for investment in roads. Anyone who has travelled the R312 from Belmullet to Castlebar will bear testament to that, as will anybody who travels the N5 through Roscommon. They will know that empty promises are just that, empty. This is aside from what was said today by my colleague, Deputy Mac Lochlainn, in the audiovisual room, when he described the planning process as absolutely dysfunctional.

I again commend all those involved in the A5 Enough is Enough campaign. We cannot now say that we did not know. The human cost of the lack of progress has been laid before us. I will not speak about the economic or social cost because the human cost outlined to us earlier has to be the driver for this road upgrade starting as quickly as possible. The human cost of the lack of progress has been laid before us, as I said, and for that, I thank all of the guests who are with us tonight. No stone must be left unturned to deliver the upgrade of the A5 in its entirety.

I reiterate our thanks to the A5 Enough is Enough campaign group formed by Tyrone GAA. It is not often a Monaghan Deputy will take to his feet to commend Tyrone GAA for much of anything but on this occasion, I will.

I am holding up a map of Ireland's rail network. It has been repeated many times that there is a huge gap in the corner. That is important to note in the context of this debate because it sets out the reality for people who live along and within the north west and Border regions, namely, that public transport, in most instances, is not an option. The improvements the Minister of State referred to, which are welcomed in the communities in question, do not even begin to address the public transport deficiencies. It is also important to note the detail of this map in the context of understanding that, without a rail network, the roads, including primary roads, in the region have a higher proportion of freight vehicles than roads in other regions which have rail transportation. This leads to an increase in the risk of travelling those roads and reinforces the need to have an upgraded and modern standard of road network.

I am now holding up a map of the motorway network across the island of Ireland. It is not a great map but it is the best I could find at short notice. Again, it is as if the Border region and north west simply do not exist. This continues to have a profound economic impact on the regions that have been deprived of this connectivity, as has been well outlined in this debate. It is important to note that, notwithstanding that, nobody in the A5 Enough is Enough campaign or on any of the local authorities along the route is looking for a motorway standard road. What we are looking for is a dual carriageway standard road, which for all the economic and social reasons outlined, is vital to ensure our young people can be assured of the employment opportunities that are available in other parts of this island. More important, it is vital to show that if they choose to do so, they can live, work and raise their families there. However, the primary reason we are looking for a dual carriageway standard road is to save lives.

In that context, the Irish Government commitment to the A5 upgrade is essential. I wish it was not. I wish we had a British Government that would live up to its responsibility. If it wants jurisdiction over part of our country, it should provide the infrastructure that is necessary. It is simply not going to do that, however. As such, the Irish Government's support and commitment are essential, not only for the people who happen to be in the Six Counties but also for the all-Ireland economy and to ensure we reach a point where we have balanced regional development. It is essential because the lives that are lost on the A5 are Irish lives, from North and South.

We know there are going to be other steps along the way and that the legal process may not have concluded yet but it is important that the Irish Government revert to the St. Andrews Agreement. I mention that agreement because in his opening statement the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, talked about a previous Government commitment of £75 million. The St. Andrews Agreement committed the Irish Government to £400 million towards the A5 road development, which at that time represented 50% of the total cost. That commitment is the one which needs to be reaffirmed.

While I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, for being here and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, for his earlier contribution, I have to ask where the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is. He may well have other important engagements tonight but the Government will be aware that there is a suggestion across many counties, my county included, that the Minister is opposed to the priorities that have been outlined in this motion. That suggestion has been denied by the Government. My answer to that is that the Government should prove it. It can be proved by ensuring the Letterkenny to Lifford section of the N2 is moved along. A business case has been presented for that project and that business case and the review of same should be give rise to action, rather than delay.

That business case, and the review of that business case, should be a process of action rather than delay. The N2 Clontibret to the Border road scheme in my constituency was stalled last year. It was not stalled for legal reasons or for any bureaucratic reason. It was stalled because the Minister for Transport's Department refused to allocate the funding that was necessary. The funding for this year was contingent on EU match funding. The allocation for the Castleblayney to Ardee section of the N2 road scheme this year was €600 million. That has effectively stalled the project. Monaghan County Council is on the record as stating that it essentially cannot move to the next stage of process with the funding that has been allocated. That needs to change.

If Government is serious about supporting this motion, then it will fast-track the business case for the Letterkenny-Lifford road, it will provide funding this year for the Castleblayney-Ardee road project to proceed to the next stage, and it will ensure the Clontibret to the Border road scheme is prioritised without any further undue delay. It should commit, without any equivocation, that Irish Exchequer funding will never be the cause for any further delay to the A5 project. This is about lives, the economy and the future of Ireland.

For all of those reasons, there is a valid rationale for supporting this motion and taking it to the next stage. It is also about ensuring that a region that has been considered as being at the end of something, by jurisdictions in Dublin, London and Belfast, needs to become part of the centre of decision-making. These projects are in the national development plan. Funding for the projects has been withdrawn and given to projects that are not in the national development plan. Now is the time to ensure that a whole-of-government approach is taken, with the support of the whole House, and to see action. As the campaign slogan says, enough is enough. Now is the time for delivery.

Now is the time to conclude.

Question put and agreed to.
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