Durkan asks if ‘strings attached’ to Dublin’s £88.5m for A5 and if it will be spent this year

The Irish Government has committed €600 million in total to the A5 North-West transport corridor between Derry and Aughnacloy, while £88.5m of this was provided to the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) by Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald in the budget for this financial year.

The overall cost of the road is now estimated at £1.7billion with a projected completion date of 2028.

Speaking in the Stormont Assembly Mr. Durkan asked: “Will the Minister confirm whether there are any strings attached to that funding, such as when the money must be spent by, and does he intend to allocate any of DfI’s capital budget to the A5 this year?”

Mr. O'Dowd replied: “Whether I am able to allocate funding to the A5 this year depends on my position when I make my announcement in the summer in relation to the A5 and respond to the recommendations of the Planning Appeals Commission's report.

"The Member asked whether there are strings attached to the contribution from the Dublin Government. I would not say that there are strings attached, but, obviously, they will want to be assured that their money is being used effectively and efficiently and for the purpose for which it has been designated to my Department. I can assure you and others that that will be the case if and when I make my announcement in the summer.”

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