‘Hard to believe’ A5 has not started – Taoiseach

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said it was ‘hard to believe’ that work has not yet begun on replacing what he described as the ‘dangerous’ A5 road.

Speaking in Dail Eireann, Mr Varadkar also reiterated the Irish Government’s financial backing of the planned construction project.

He said, “On financial commitments, the government is committed to making a financial contribution to the building of the A5. It is a very dangerous road.

“I support the campaign to have it built; I always have. It will not just benefit people in Tyrone and Derry. It will also benefit people in Donegal, and indeed Monaghan, and that should never be forgotten.”

The Taoiseach also said that if someone had told him when he was transport minister a decade ago that construction would not have started by now he would not have believed them.

“I was at meetings as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, with the then Minister, Danny Kennedy and then Minister Sammy Wilson, to agree our financial contribution.

“Had I believed that ten years later it would not be through planning permission I would have said it could not be true.

“Unfortunately, it is true but I really hope it gets planning consent now and of course the Irish Government would be happy to contribute to it and strongly supports the campaign in Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry to get that project under way,” he said.

A reconvened public inquiry into the road project concluded at the start of this month with a final report due to be published by the end of the year.