Dublin paid just two per cent of road funds

THE Dublin government has so far contributed just £8.5m of £400m in promised funding towards the Londonderry to Aughnacloy A5 roads project which is due for completion in 2015, it has emerged.

The government of the Republic of Ireland has promised 400million towards a consolidated fund for both the A5 Londonderry to Augnacloy scheme and the A8 Newtownabbey to Larne upgrade.

But to date it has paid out just 2 per cent of the sum promised, whilst simultaneously slashing the internal roads budget south of the border.

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Roads Minister Conor Murphy revealed the information during a debate on the massive infrastructure project at the Stormont Assembly.

He also revealed the road scheme was on course to reach its third major landmark with the publication of an environmental statement by the end of the year.

He commented: “The A5 western transport corridor project is on target to achieve the third key milestone, which is the publication of the environmental statement in draft statutory Orders in late 2010.

“Both Governments remain committed to the project, and it is expected that funding will be made available through the normal budgetary processes.”

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The Minister insisted the money promised by the Dublin Government would be forthcoming stating: “The commitment from the Dublin Government to the A5 has remained firm. It has been reiterated on many occasions, most lately by the Taoiseach.”

And when this was queried by UUP leader Tom Elliott MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone he replied: “I am sorry to dash the Member’s hopes yet again, but, in every assessment that we have had from them, the commitment to the road project has remained clear and absolute.

“That includes a recent commitment from the Taoiseach, and the Member will be pleased to hear that, last Friday, I also had the opportunity to talk to the Minister for Transport at a conference in Limerick.

“I am sure that, as is the case with the Member’s colleagues in Tyrone and all parts of the west, he will be happy to see some investment in the roads infrastructure.”

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But the Roads Minister revealed that Dublin’s commitment to delivering supposedly ringfenced finance for the roads scheme has scarcely been tested with just 2 per cent of the promised 400m paid so far.

He said: “The Government in Dublin have committed 400 million towards the A5 and the A8 dualling projects. However, the money is being paid against milestones associated with the A5 project, and, to date, approximately 8.5 million has been paid to the Consolidated Fund by the Irish Government.”