Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)

I was at the North-South Ministerial Council meeting in Armagh with the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Government colleagues last Friday. There was a sense and a feeling at the time that the judgment would be positive. There was great disappointment on both sides of the Border that the ruling was as it was and that, effectively, the project has been paused. It will be up to the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Minister, Ms Kimmins, who I have met and have a lot of regard for, to plot a way forward. This Government is still committed to the A5. We have to respect the decision of the courts, particularly the part of the ruling about the fact that the A5 was not included in the new climate action plan in the North of Ireland. It is not for me to advise another administration how to deal with that, but I am sure that the Minister, Ms Kimmins, and others, including the First Minister and deputy First Minister and the Executive, will be looking at the decision in detail to see how they can plot a way forward. It is a disappointment to put the project back for connectivity to the north west and for safety through the North. It is a critical project. We as a Government will do our part in assisting and funding it.