Budgetary plan for the A5 submitted to Executive

A BUDGETARY plan for the completion of the much-delayed A5 dual carriageway has been submitted to the NI Executive.

Infrastructure Minister, John O’Dowd, has also outlined how it is intended to spend what he describes as the ‘welcome contribution’ from the Dublin Government in relation to the £1.7 billion road scheme, which will run from from Ballygawley to Newbuildings.

The coalition Government has pledged 600 million euro, with around 88.5 million euro of that figure earmarked from this year’s budget.

Next month, Mr O’Dowd is expected to publish the Planning Appeals Commission report from last year’s Public Inquiry which was held in Omagh.

A fortnight ago, the Minister announced that he intended recommending approval for the A5 dual carriageway to the Stormont Executive.

Mr O’Dowd said that a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) at the end of last month had also discussed a number of projects linked to the A5 in Donegal and Monaghan.

He said that the NSMC had noted that both the NI Executive and Dublin Government were working ‘collaboratively’ on the two projects, including the mitigation of impacts on the River Foyle floodplain which was central to the completion of the A5.

A cross-border working group has been set up to reinforce that collaboration and will examine the continued development of the N2 from Clontibret to the border at Aughnacloy, and phase three of the A5 from Ballygawley to the border.

According to the Minister, the work of this group will include the proposal for a ‘seamless’ cross-border link road of around three kilometres in length which it is hoped will ensure successful outcomes through the planning process.

The Minister also dismissed the scepticism from West Tyrone SDLP MLA, Daniel McCrossan, that his A5 announcement was timed just three days before the recent General Election.

“The annoucement would have been made at this time, election or no election,” Mr O’Dowd said.

“The communications with my Executive colleagues came about as a result of my completing that work, in line with advice from my officials. I have now communicated with my Executive colleagues and the PAC (Planning Appeals Commission) report is on its way to them.

“I will present a final draft of the report and its recommendations to my Executive colleagues in August. The PAC report will be published at that time. I hope that my recommendations to the Executive will be adopted in order for the A5 project to move ahead.”