Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Dooley for sharing time. I refer to the capital infrastructural development plan and in particular this Government's commitment to the A5 dual carriageway from the Monaghan border to Derry City linking Monaghan to Donegal and to the north-west region. We have seen in the publication of the Minister's investment plan last week a betrayal of the people of the north west in terms of a commitment given by this Government to fund that project jointly to the tune of £400 million, in conjunction with £400 million committed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the St. Andrews Agreement, to build that road by 2015, a commitment confirmed by the previous Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, when he attended two North South Ministerial Council meetings. Just eight months ago he recommitted at that meeting that the money would be spent. Now we have a situation where the Minister and his fellow Cabinet members will travel to a meeting in Armagh the day after tomorrow following which they will try to sell to the people of the north west the message that he is now giving £50 million, the first £25 million of which he will not be given until the year in which cars should have been driving up and down the dual carriageway with the second £25 million not being provided until the year after the road was supposed to be finished. The Minister will try to sell that to the people of the north west as a success.

It is rarely in generations that we get an opportunity similar to the one presented to the north-west region recently where two jurisdictions, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, are willing to come together and co-fund a project that will see the north west get the same type of infrastructure that has been delivered across other main arteries in our road network in recent years. This project could not have been contemplated until the Northern Ireland Executive was set up in 2007, the very year this agreement was made.

The Minister's Government must reconsider this decision. He should have a debate on the floor of this Dáil later today or tomorrow because it is unacceptable that his Cabinet will travel to Armagh on Friday without dealing with what was a solemn commitment to the people of the north west. He should do that on the floor of this House before he goes to Armagh to break that commitment. I want an assurance from the Minister that that will take place either tonight or tomorrow, that he will work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure it continues to ring-fence the £400 million it had set aside for this project and that he will find a way to give the £400 million this country promised to ensure that the north west does not lose this project which will benefit future generations.

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