Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2023
200. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the Government’s commitment to help progress the proposed upgrade of the A5 road in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4081/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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. 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. The Government is committed to deliver on its funding commitment to the A5 project, which is also included in the "New Decade, New Approach" document of 2020.
As is the case for all such capital projects, the A5 upgrade scheme is subject to the planning assessment and approval process in Northern Ireland and since 2012 there have been a number of legal challenges. This has led to unavoidable delays to the implementation of the proposed scheme.
In 2017 the Department for Infrastructure decided to proceed with the A5 scheme. However, this was challenged, and the decision to proceed was quashed by the High Court in November 2018 when the Department announced it would no longer defend the case.
Following the conclusion of that legal action, the Department for Infrastructure updated environmental assessments for the project and undertook further public consultations. Despite the delays which have taken place, it is expected that the public inquiry will be re-opened in the near future.
Allowing for the time required for the conclusion of the public inquiry and for all new decisions to be implemented, together with the possibility of a further legal challenge, the timeframe for delivery of the A5 project is still uncertain. However, provision of £25 million sterling has been made by my Department in 2023 for funding the scheme, should this be required.
