24 Oct 2013, 16:45
The Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement this morning heard that, despite the very limited funding currently available for road development, the improvement to key cross border routes remained a priority.
24 October 2013
Fred Barry, CEO of the National Roads Authority (NRA) was addressing the Committee and said that the Authority has to ‘cut its cloth to measure’ in light of an 83 percent reduction in peak funding.
Committee Chairman Joe McHugh TD says: \"Committee Members widely commended the NRA for its work in delivering a series of inter-urban motorway routes over the past decade. However, it was pointed out that the missing piece of the jigsaw remains the routes to the Northwest, which has led to an entire geographical section of the island being left behind. We thank Mr Barry for the clarity provided in today’s presentation on the worthwhile smaller projects being undertaken in the border region, and understand the approach of the NRA in straitened financial times to get the best possible value for the taxpayer.
\"The Committee takes on board Mr Barry’s assertion that planning for roads under the NRA’s remit, such as the Lifford to Letterkenny section, will be sufficiently advanced so as not to provide any obstacles to development once the A5 project proceeds. We also heard of the NRA’s ongoing and positive relationship with its counterpart across the border, Transport Northern Ireland. The Committee resolved to continue to engage with the NRA, and relevant Ministers North and South, in order to ensure the population of the Northwest can gain from the delivery of quality road connections of the standard enjoyed in other parts of the country.”
Ends
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Members of the Committee:
Deputies: Seán Conlan, Seán Crowe, Clare Daly, Regina Doherty, Frank Feighan, Martin Ferris, Peter M Fitzpatrick, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Michael P Kitt, Joe McHugh (Chair), Joe O’Reilly (Vice-Chair), Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Brendan Smith, Joanna Tuffy and Jack Wall
Senators: Maurice Cummins (Leader of the House), Jim D’Arcy, Mary Moran and Mary White