Speaking after meeting the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar on his visit to the North last Thursday, Michelle O’Neill MLA raised the A5 major road scheme and the urgent priority in delivering this key infrastructure project as part of the Western Transport Corridor.

Michelle O’Neill MLA said:

“I met Leo Varadkar last week and one of the issues I raised with him was the A5 road scheme which must be a shared priority for the government in Dublin and any new Executive which must be restored urgently.

“The Executive and the Irish government agreed back in 2007 to upgrade the entire A5 to dual carriageway from Aughnacloy, via Omagh and Strabane, to Derry.

“All statutory processes were undertaken by then Sinn Féin Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy at that time who in fact awarded contracts with construction to start in 2012.

“The Irish government then paused its £400m financial offer, which was later reduced to £80m.”

She added:

“The scheme has been beset by several legal challenges since, and public inquiries.

“We have sadly seen fatalities on this very long stretch of road and families left completely devastated. This needs to be confronted and the scheme delivered to save lives.

“It is imperative that both the Irish government and the Executive, when re-established, remain fully committed to delivering and financing this critical infrastructure project, and that legal challenges are overcome.”