Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Transport the meetings he has had with his opposite number in Northern Ireland regarding the implementation of the dual carriageway project; the up-to-date position regarding this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2755/11]

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/€580 million in a roads investment package for Northern Ireland which will contribute to the upgrading of the A5 road from Aughnacloy to Derry/Londonderry to dual-carriageway status.

I have discussed the A5 Aughnacloy to Derry dual carriageway scheme with my Northern counterparts in the context of the Transport Sectoral meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). Since September 2007 there have been seven meetings of the NSMC in Transport sectoral format, the last of which took place on 20 October 2010, at which the A5 project has been discussed. The A5 project is being implemented by the Roads Service of Northern Ireland (RSNI). A project schedule with key milestones has been established and the project is being progressed in accordance with that schedule. I understand that the third project milestone – Publication of Draft Orders – was achieved in November last year.