Dublin set to announce major cross-border funding

[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg3ex8e26xxo](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg3ex8e26xxo)

The Irish government is set to announce substantial new funding for cross-border projects later.

The cabinet in Dublin will meet to approve the plans, which will include the restoration of the £400m funding promise for the A5.

Highly anticipated funding for Casement Park in west Belfast is also set to be announced, thought to be in the tens of millions.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar, along with his partners in government, Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan are expected to address the media at lunchtime.

It is anticipated that the funding announcements will include some updates on already announced projects, as well as new funding in education, health and infrastructure, including the Narrow Water Bridge Project.

The BBC confirmed on Monday that the A5 road from Dublin to Londonderry would have the full funding once promised, now restored in its entirety.

Expectations were raised when it was put to the taoiseach a week ago that the government should provide more funding.

Speaking in the Dáil (Irish lower house of parliament), Mr Varadkar said more funding to help complete the major upgrade would now be considered after it was significantly reduced during the financial crash.

‘Enough is enough’

Niall McKenna from the campaign group Enough is Enough which was set up after the death of John Rafferty in 2020 said he was “confident” the new road upgrade would happen.

He was speaking on BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme.

“We are extremely confident that it’s going to happen this time – we can see everything moving in the right direction and we are very confident it’s going to happen this time,” he said.

“So many have been affected by death on this road \[A5\] – this road is quite literally killing our members and we have a duty of care to see that end.”

Mr McKenna said there had been a “sea change” in attitude.

He added: “The general public are not prepared to accept the non-delivery of it \[A5\] anymore.”

Finé Gael Donegal TD Joe McHugh said it was welcome news to hear funding will be restored for the A5 upgrade.

“This project has been going since 2007 – it’s met mental challenges and legal challenges – welcome news for a socially deprived area.

“We really need the road upgraded to meet modern day life. It’s a really important day – 10% of the road deaths have actually happened on the A5 – from a safety perspective – it’s welcome news.

“It’s a vast project, a transformative project.”

Peter McDermott, director of Strabane Business Improvement District, said: “We hope to be in the right position but until you see it in black and white – it’s speculation.”

Mr McDermott said a new A5 would also help the economy.

“I was travelling up \[on the A5\] and there’s a number of houses that have been acquired and they have been left sitting for ten or twelve years now – it’s important we get this back on track again.

“We’ve got to look at the safety of the A5 in the current state – we don’t want any more fatalities and we need to encourage the investment we’ve had in the area,” he added.

The announcements today are part of the Shared Island Project founded by Mr Martin when he was taoiseach in the coalition government in 2020.

The Programme for Government and revised National Development Plan (2021-2030) announced by the Irish government both include substantial all-island investment.

The total all-island investment commitment is more than €3.5bn (£3bn) by 2030, through the government’s Shared Island Fund; Project Ireland 2040 funds; resourcing for North/South cooperation; and the PEACEPLUS programme, delivered with the European Union, UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive.

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