Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Cé atá ag dul le glacadh an cheist, an Aire nó an Aire Stáit?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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Tá mise.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Is ceist fhíorthábhachtach í seo. Níl mé róshásta ach caithfear glacadh leis an Aire atá agamsa anseo anocht. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl as ucht an deis atá agamsa chun an cheist seo faoin A5 a phlé anseo sa Teach mar aon leis an chinneadh a rinne an Breitheamh McAlinden i gcúirt i mBéal Feirste ag tús na seachtaine agus an tionchar atá ag an chinneadh sin ar an togra A5, an bóthar idir Achadh na Cloiche agus an Srath Bán. Ceanglaíonn an bóthar 88 km sin an iarthuaisceart agus Contae Mhuineacháin ag dul ar aghaidh go dtí an M1 go dtí Baile Átha Cliath. Ceanglaíonn sé Doire, Dún na nGall, Tír Eoghain agus Muineacháin. Cuireann an cinneadh a rinneadh an cinneadh a rinne Stormont ar ceal.

I would prefer not to be here tonight raising this issue regarding the A5. The issue is the decision of Mr. Justice McAlinden in a Belfast court to quash a decision of the Northern Ireland Executive to proceed to construction with the A5. That is, proceeding to construction subject to the agreement of terms with contractors and the conclusion of the ongoing legal battle. Why was the approval overturned? From our understanding of it and the judgment, it was overturned because the A5 was not meeting a Stormont draft climate action plan that was published only last week. We are also told there was difficulty staying within Stormont's first carbon budget and the environmental impact of the new road was not properly assessed. It is not good enough that was not done. Challenges came from farmers in the area. There was also the question of the impact on homes and farms and a breach of the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This decision shows a glaring disconnect between the legal process and the urgent realities facing communities along this stretch of road and the general public. I came into this House about 44 years ago. I have been travelling this road all my life. Through the difficult days of the 1970s and 1980s, I always came down the A5. In those early days, we were of the view that the best stretch of the route was the A5. That was only because it had a smooth surface. The bends were the same. They are still the same today. With all the developments that have taken place on other parts of that route, though, it is now the worst stretch of road from the north west or, indeed, in the whole country.

The proposed cost of this road project is £1.2 billion or €1.6 billion. The Irish taxpayers have committed €600 million from the shared island initiative. The whole purpose of that is to fulfil the Good Friday Agreement. I appreciate there are regular meetings between the Executives North and South. I will have another opportunity, but I am calling on the Taoiseach, the Northern Ireland First Minister, the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien, and the Northern Ireland Minister for Infrastructure to meet shortly to decide on a way forward.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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Ar an gcéad dul síos, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Teachta as ucht an rúin seo a chur os ár gcomhair. Tuigim an díomá atá air agus ar a lán daoine de bharr an chinnidh a rinneadh san Ardchúirt i mBéal Feirste. Tá an ceart ag an Teachta. Is bóthar tábhachtach agus an-chontúirteach an A5. Thug an Rialtas tacaíocht don bhóthar agus táimid ag leanúint leis an tacaíocht sin. Beimid ag obair leis an gCéad-Aire i mBéal Feirste.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. He is right, in that it is a very important road. I am not going to read the full script setting out the history of the project because it is well known to all of us in the House. We recognise the importance of the A5. Suffice it to say, the public inquiry into the scheme by the Planning Appeals Commission concluded in 2023. In October 2024, the Northern Ireland Executive gave approval for the first phase of the project to proceed. In preparation for the main construction contracts, advance works over its 55 km length in the form of site clearance, fencing and the setting up of compounds commenced in January. This work is now well advanced. However, contracts for the main construction works were not entered into, pending the outcome of the court hearing. The Department for Infrastructure received a formal legal challenge to the project, with a date fixed for a court hearing on 18 March 2025. On 23 June 2025, the High Court in Belfast ruled in favour of the legal challenge.

The Minister for Infrastructure will now consider this judgment. While this further delay is clearly not desirable, it is hoped that the issues raised by the judgment will be addressed by the relevant Northern Ireland authorities in a timely fashion. While the timeline for delivery of the A5 project is still uncertain, particularly after this judgment, the provision of £25 million made by the Department of Transport in 2025 for funding the scheme remains, should it be required. Furthermore, as part of Government funding commitments for shared island projects, €600 million was committed to the progression of the A5 project in February 2024. The Government is still committed to that.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland continues to progress related schemes, such as the N2 Clontibret road to the Border and the Donegal TEN-T projects. The N2 project secured connecting Europe facility funding in 2023, allowing the design and environmental phase to recommence. This is expected to be completed later this year. The project was allocated €3 million in 2025. The TEN-T project was allocated just over €2 million, and the finalising of the design and evaluation phase deliverables is ongoing.

I reiterate our disappointment with the outcome. As the Deputy rightly said, the aim of the A5 western transport corridor, with the Northern Ireland Executive, is about improving the dual carriageway and links between the urban centres in Tyrone and Derry. It is a transport link for private and public transport between Dublin and the north west. The Deputy has used it at many key times.

The Department for Infrastructure in the North estimates the total scheme will cost €1.6 billion and in this capital project, the A5 upgrade scheme is subject to planning, assessment and approval processes in the North. There have been ongoing legal challenges during the period from 2012 until now, which have led to unavoidable and disappointing delays in the project.

It is important to reaffirm to Deputy Gallagher that the Government is committed to the project. In the coming days, I assume we will sit down and discuss the matter with our counterparts in the North and I hope to see the project recommence. I take the Deputy's points and will bring back his comments about the need for the meetings between the relevant Departments here and in Stormont. I concur with the Deputy that the disappointment is felt on both sides of the Border because this is a project the Government is committed to. We want to see it advanced and that is ongoing.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. I hope it will be too long before a meeting is convened between the Tánaiste, First Minister and respective Ministers. There is only one positive I can take from the judgment, which is that "The shortcomings and shortcuts in the decision making highlighted in this judgment are capable of being remedied". I hope that can be done but this never should have happened and there should have been much more attention to detail.

We can be critical of what has happened there but we must also begin the consideration - the Minister of State referred to this - south of the Border. The €2 million or €3 million provided by the TII over the past year or so is not sufficient. There are major works to be carried out between Ardee and the Border and that should be going on concurrently with the works to be carried out in Northern Ireland. It will take some time and the more quickly this is kick-started, the better.

The Minister of State may not be aware of the answer but was this matter discussed at the North-South Ministerial Council last week? Of all the projects that had to be discussed, I presume this one would have been. Irrespective of what the view of either side would have been, there cannot be interference with the court. An urgent meeting is absolutely necessary and I repeat my call for that. In thinking of the general public, I must state that 55 deaths in 18 years is too many. We cannot and should not compare that with climate action plans. Along with the 55 deaths, hundreds of people have been maimed and their whole life experiences have changed.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I cannot give an answer about last week's meeting because I do not have that information but I will bring the Deputy's comments back.

Regarding the N2 Ardee to Castleblayney route, as Deputy Gallagher is aware, the proposed project is an important one. It is about ensuring road safety is improved. The upgrade will enhance that road safety by reducing the number of direct access points and turning movements and by providing passing opportunities. It is currently suspended at the design and environmental phase of the TII project management guidelines subject to the ongoing NDP review. It is hoped the project will be allocated funding this year and next year.

Regarding the overarching matter raised by Deputy Gallagher, preliminary discussions have taken place on the establishment of the agreed cross-Border working group in relation to the continued development of the N2 from Clontibret to the Border and phase 3 of the M5. The A5 project has made significant progress over the past 12 months. According to the departmental statement, which is the Department for Infrastructure's formal and public response to the Planning Appeals Commission report, the latest public inquiry on the project was finalised in the summer of last year. Both jurisdictions are working collaboratively to address the key recommendations of the Planning Appeals Commission. Officials are working in the interim on a response in terms of a budgeting profile, while assisted by the €600 million from the Shared Island Fund. There is a second project, the delivery of phase 3 in a separate cross-Border link to provide a seamless connection between both projects. Notwithstanding the decision of the High Court in Belfast on 23 June to quash the decision to approve construction of the first phase of the project, the Government is committed and remains strong in its support in contributing to the successful delivery of the A5 project. The Government is also committed to developing the projects listed in the NDP that connect to the A5 including the Donegal TEN-T and N2 projects. I thank Deputy Gallagher for raising this matter.