The meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh tomorrow, Friday, will be crucial in deciding the future of the A5 dual carriageway from Derry to the Monaghan border, according to Donegal North East TD Charlie McConalogue.
Deputy McConalogue told that Dáil today that all political efforts need to be focused on getting the full level of funding committed by both Governments.
“The project is estimated to cost £800 million and was to be joint funded as part of the St Andrews agreement of 2006 by the Irish Government and the Northern Executive, using monies pledged by the British Government as part of the agreement.
“The Fine Gael/Labour Government’s action last week in reneging on their commitment puts the very existence of the project in real jeopardy. The decision was a betrayal of the people of Donegal and to North West, on what is the single most important infrastructural project for the economic growth of the region.
“We now need to work to encourage the Northern Executive to continue its commitment to the project by ring fencing the £400 it has budgeted for the project, and use this commitment to secure a renewed agreement from the Irish Government for its share of the cost.
“I believe that any agreement reached at the North South Ministerial meeting this week which falls short of the Northern Executive maintaining its £400 in order to begin construction and the Irish Government committing to a timescale that will complete the project will sound the death knell for the dual carriageway. If the £400 million committed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer is used elsewhere now instead of for this crucial project, we are highly unlikely to have such an opportunity again.
“I am calling on the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar to come before the Dáil for a debate on the future of the A5 before they attend the North South Ministerial Council on Friday. It is unacceptable that they can break their previous commitments on this project and betray their promises to the people of Donegal and the North West, without coming before the Dáil to account for their actions,” said Deputy McConalogue.
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