STORMONT’S MINISTER for Regional Development is to keep an open mind on an upgrade of the Dublin to Derry road through Northern Ireland.
Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy told the Northern Assembly yesterday he was committed to improving the A5 between Aughnacloy on the Tyrone-Monaghan Border and Derry city.
But he said he would await the outcome of the public inquiry into the £850 million (€952 million) scheme – the largest single road project in Ireland – of which £400 million (€448 million) will come from the Irish Government.
The Western Transport Corridor will boost links between the northwest, including Donegal, and the rest of Ireland. Sinn Féin and the SDLP pressed the Minister to state unambiguously that the scheme would go ahead as planned. The Ulster Unionists have called for it to be scaled back in favour of other road schemes.
Mr Kennedy said the A5 could not be built “without significant impact” on the local environment.
“I have received numerous requests to meet a wide range of bodies interested in progressing strategic road improvement schemes across Northern Ireland,” he said.