Catherine Murphy
Question:139. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide his Department's update in respect of the A5 upgrade. [44997/23]
View answerTuesday, 17 October 2023
Questions (139)
Written answers
The planning and implementation of the A5 upgrade project is the responsibility of the authorities in Northern Ireland.
The funding arrangements in relation to the A5 have been governed by the 2014 Stormont House Agreement and Implementation Plan - A Fresh Start, and under this Agreement the Government is committed to provide funding of £75 million towards the cost of the A5 upgrade scheme once the statutory planning process in Northern Ireland is concluded. Provision of £25 million sterling is being made by my Department in 2023 for funding the scheme, should this be required.
The Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland estimates the total scheme cost for the A5 project is £1.6billion with completion expected by 2032/2033 and the largest funding demands over the 2025 to 2028 period. The Department for Infrastructure expects to have the report of the Public Inquiry by year end and possibly sooner. The Department for Infrastructure has informed the Department of Transport that construction of the Main Works is currently planned to start in April or May of 2024 with the commencement of Section 1 from Newbuildings to Strabane. However, this is subject to a number of conditions being met, including a positive outcome from the report of the Public Inquiry, completion of the Statutory Orders and agreement of a Target Cost with the contractor. If there is a further legal challenge the start dates will likely be revisited.
I can confirm that my Department regularly engages with colleagues in the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. These engagements consider a range of North/South transport proposals, including the A5, and further engagement is scheduled over the coming months. In October there is a bilateral meeting in Dublin between Departmental officials and Northern colleagues in relation to the A5.