The delegation which met the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Front (from left) Mr Eugene Cummins, Monaghan County Council, Cllr John Campbell, Donegal County Council, Elizabeth Harkin, Omagh District Council, Anne McNaught, North West Region Cross Border Group, Cllr Dan Kelly, Strabane District Council. Back row (from left) Cllr Sean Conlon, Monaghan County Council, Mr Danny McSorley, Omagh District Council/Strabane District Council, Ald. Michael Coyle, North West Region Cross Border Group and John McLaughlin, Donegal County Council.
Councils from the North West have been given a commitment by the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement that it will champion the case for a dual carriageway connecting the North West to Dublin.
A delegation from the A5 Working Group, which represents Derry, Donegal, Dungannon and South Tyrone Monaghan, Omagh and Strabane Councils and the cross-border groups ICBAN and the North West Regional Cross Border Group, gave evidence to the Committee in Dublin.
In its presentation, the delegation highlighted that development of the key strategic route into the North West, from Dublin to Donegal/Derry, including the A5 from Aughnacloy to Newbuildings, was clearly part of the “outworking” of the Good Friday Agreement.
Members of the delegation also reminded the Joint Committee of the “absolute need” for the key infrastructural development of the A5 to help address the inequalities in economic and social progress, equality of access to importance health and education services and to address the high levels of unemployment and deprivation suffered in the North West.
Acknowledging the delay in commencing construction of the two sections of the A5 following the judge’s decision on the Judicial Review taken last year, the delegation urged the Joint Committee to encourage the two governments and the respective Departments to use the period of the Environmental Assessment process to develop a funding and implementation plan for the delivery of the project and have it ready for immediate implementation when the processes have been completed.
Members of the Joint Committee were also asked to use their “good offices” to ensure the delivery of the A5, and linked N2 and N14, were included in the next funding period of both governments.
Members of the Joint Committee were unequivocal in their support for the project, recognising that it was essential for the connectivity of the North West region, to ensure economic development, access to tourism and calling it a “no brainer” which “ticks all the boxes.”
Speaking after receiving the delegation the committee chairperson, Donegal North East TD Joe McHugh, said the project was frequently raised at meetings and the Joint Committee would continue to advocate and champion for its delivery.
Thanking the delegation for “making the compelling case for delivery of the A5 road upgrade, Deputy McHugh said was no doubt the “longstanding dearth” of modern transport infrastructure to the North West was seriously hindering development and the relatively high unemployment and poverty rates could be directly attributed to “this lack of connectivity.”
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