Dáil debates
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Other Questions.
Road Network
3:00 pm
Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress of the dual carriageway from Derry to Aughnacloy which was agreed with the Northern Ireland Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26638/10]
Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the agreement of March 2007 between the Irish and British Governments on a funding package to support the restored Northern Ireland Executive, the Irish Government made a commitment to provide funding of £400 million or â¬580 million in a roads investment package for Northern Ireland which will contribute to the upgrading to dual-carriageway status of the A5 road from Aughnacloy to Derry.
The A5 project is being implemented by the Northern Ireland Roads Service. A project schedule with key milestones has been established and the project is being progressed in accordance with that schedule. To date, the second key milestone has been achieved, that is, the identification of the preferred route. Overall, the expected completion date of the project is July 2015.
Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the assurance from the Minister and I take it he will give an assurance that the funding will be in place and that there will be no hold up in the scheme. It was agreed at the time that there would be a dual carriageway from Derry to Dublin. There is a missing piece and I seek clarification on the situation. In particular, I refer to the road from Aughnacloy to Castleshane, which is still a difficult main road but not a dual carriageway. Will the Minister indicate the progress, if any, that has been made and whether he will be in a position to fund the NRA to ensure that section of the road will be improved such that there will be a through road from Donegal and Derry to Dublin?
Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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That is a matter for the NRA. At the moment, the NRA is reviewing all the road projects identified for the coming five to ten years and the matter will be considered in the context of that review. It will be based on a range of criteria, including the likely traffic numbers on the road etc. The matter is under review. When the review is finished, the NRA will be in contact with the Department and, when necessary, the subject of funding will be dealt with in the annual Estimates process.
Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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What is the Minister's view on this matter? Does he accept that it is not reasonable or sensible to have a dual carriageway from Derry to Aughnacloy but not have a link up with the two and one road at Castleshane? Development will depend on the Minister and his Department being prepared to fund the NRA. What is the Minister's view on a common sense approach and the urgency of the matter?
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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I support the views of Deputy Crawford. The A5 project is an exciting and interesting development, linking Derry to Dublin, one of our great cities. I support Deputy Crawford's comments. At issue is the Ashbourne road on our side. The area in question is near the Ceann Comhairle's territory as well. As Deputy Crawford remarked, we did not see the gap and the NRA maintains it has nothing on the matter. We support Northern Ireland in this regard but we must look after our side of the road. Will the Minister urge the NRA to come forward with the necessary plans to ensure we are ready to meet up at Aughnacloy?
Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I would be pleased to receive anything from the NRA but I will not pre-empt what it decides as the best way to link the two roads. That should be done in the most cost effective and efficient way possible and I await the NRA's proposal in this regard. It would be unfair of me to pre-empt the matter. I am not an engineer. I foresee there will be a good deal of traffic involved and I have no doubt, given the expertise the NRA has, that it will take that fully into account before making a proposal to me. Once the proposal is made to me and the Department, I will have to prioritise the projects I believe are the most important. This is an important project.