A5 WTC (New Road from Aughnacloy to Derry)

[Mario]

I don't think this upgrade as important as it once was, the construction traffic on the A5 as rush hour is a fraction of what it used to be. I'd be happy enough for Stormonts proportion of this money to go on improving the A6 between Derry and Belfast. Bypass Dungiven, and build a dual carriage way from the M2 to the Toome bypass.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1110/budget_capital.html



The Government will spend €17bn on capital investment over the next five years, but the Metro North and DART underground projects have been deferred.

Metro North plan has been deferred Play Stop  One News: Government details cuts in capital spending

Capital spending cuts hit road building hard
The Government will spend €17bn on capital investment over the next five years.

Just under €4bn will be spent on capital projects next year - a cut of €755m.

The Infrastructure and Capital Investment programme launched this afternoon reveals that priority will be given to school, healthcare and job creation infrastructure projects.

Deferred plans include Metro North, DART underground, Thornton Hall prison, and the Grangegorman DIT single campus project.

However, the so-called BXD project to link the two Luas lines and extend the service to Broombridge will proceed.

In health, over €2bn will be spent over the five-year programme on projects including the National Radiation Oncology Project, the Central Mental Hospital and the National Children's Hospital.

Part of the funding for the National Children's Hospital will be raised by an upfront payment from the next licence to operate the National Lottery.

Some of the health funding will also be allocated to enhanced primary care centres.

In education, 70,000 additional students are expected to enter primary and second level education over the next five years.

Funding will be made available for 20 new primary and 20 new second level schools, as well as extensions and refurbishment for a further 180 existing schools.

€1.6bn will be spent on the water system over five years - for improvements in leakage, drinking water standards and supply infrastructure.

€45m will be spent next year on flood risk management and mitigation. Major work schemes are to continue in Clonmel, Mallow, Fermoy, Ennis, Waterford and Carlow.

Road investment will concentrate on maintenance rather than building new roads.

The agriculture sector will receive supports totalling €800m over the next five years.

The total capital allocation to the Justice Sector for 2012 is €56 million. While the Thornton Hall prison has been deferred, €24m will be made available to provide additional spaces in existing facilities to ease overcrowding and for priority projects including in-cell sanitation.

Exchequer grants for energy efficiency for consumers are to be phased out by 2014.

Grants for enterprise next year will total €514m.

[Rois]

As someone who was knocked down on that road as a child (my two sisters were also hit by a car in a separate incident), I was hoping that the new road would mean that heavy traffic wouldn't pass through the villages from Omagh northwards for safety reasons.  I also hoped that there would be additional passing options on the road between Omagh and Derry - I've seen fantastically risky moves on that road. 
But I understand why the Irish government cannot justify that spend when so many other services are crying out for it - health and education should be the priorities.

However, I hope the Stormont Executive presses ahead with its spending plans on some sort of upgrade to the road.  A journalist on the radio this morning suggested that people go from Derry to Belfast and then to Dublin - completely laughable.  This road is not just for Derry people, it's for those in the west (including Donegal) who want to travel on a safer and yes, quicker road, whether it be southwards to Dublin or northwards to Derry (where most people in the Strabane/Omagh area would travel for emergency hospital services to name but one).   

[Nally Stand]

There is a lot of talk of partitionism here. Some Tyrone posters seem to think that welfare or pay in the 26 counties should be cut so that this road can go ahead right now, which is easy to say if it doesn't affect them.

Huge cuts in road infrastructure in the West. Maybe Dublin should get its Metro, o wait it isn't. If Dublin isn't getting something you know the rest of us have f**k all chance.

Meanwhile Derry is to remain Ireland's only main city which doesn't have a main road to the capital. Seriously, what changed since May?

Meanwhile, Derry, Letterkenny, Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballina, Castlebar, Westport, Roscommon Town, Athlone, Galway, Longford Town, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Tullamore, Tralee, Killarney, Skibbereen, Cork, Mallow, Nenagh, Clonmel will continue to experience poor interconnectivity.

Talking about this with you...why am I wasting my time. It's like having the discussion with a four year old.

Maybe you should realise that 6 counties in Ulster are not the only places in Ireland.

Nally wonder could SF arrange for a new moterway between Mayo and Belfast, it would provide crossborder interconnectivity. It would also allow me to get to places like Sligo quicker and improve the N5 at least as far as Charlestown (yes I know the N5 officially does not got through the town anymore).

And how would that rectify the fact that Derry remains the only main city in Ireland without a main road to the capital?

Call a spade a spade your just being a mé féiner, a Tyrone buck looking to get to Derry and Dublin quicker, why should you have any more right than a Mayoman wanting to be able to get to Galway or Dublin quicker? The Mayo person is paying taxes for the road.

I go to Derry by the sperrins, which would still be best for me from my house if the new road was built. And going to Dublin, a road from Aughnacloy to Derry is no use to me what-so-ever. For the people of Derry/Donegal on the other hand...

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

There is a lot of talk of partitionism here. Some Tyrone posters seem to think that welfare or pay in the 26 counties should be cut so that this road can go ahead right now, which is easy to say if it doesn't affect them.

Huge cuts in road infrastructure in the West. Maybe Dublin should get its Metro, o wait it isn't. If Dublin isn't getting something you know the rest of us have f**k all chance.

Meanwhile Derry is to remain Ireland's only main city which doesn't have a main road to the capital. Seriously, what changed since May?

Meanwhile, Derry, Letterkenny, Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballina, Castlebar, Westport, Roscommon Town, Athlone, Galway, Longford Town, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Tullamore, Tralee, Killarney, Skibbereen, Cork, Mallow, Nenagh, Clonmel will continue to experience poor interconnectivity.

Talking about this with you...why am I wasting my time. It's like having the discussion with a four year old.

Maybe you should realise that 6 counties in Ulster are not the only places in Ireland.

Nally wonder could SF arrange for a new moterway between Mayo and Belfast, it would provide crossborder interconnectivity. It would also allow me to get to places like Sligo quicker and improve the N5 at least as far as Charlestown (yes I know the N5 officially does not got through the town anymore).

And how would that rectify the fact that Derry remains the only main city in Ireland without a main road to the capital?

Call a spade a spade your just being a mé féiner, a Tyrone buck looking to get to Derry and Dublin quicker, why should you have any more right than a Mayoman wanting to be able to get to Galway or Dublin quicker? The Mayo person is paying taxes for the road.

I go to Derry by the sperrins, which would still be best for me from my house if the new road was built. And going to Dublin, a road from Aughnacloy to Derry is no use to me what-so-ever. For the people of Derry/Donegal on the other hand...

You do understand the money isn't there. You fancy they do another Roscommon A&E so you can have your 30 pieces of aphalt!

[Nally Stand]

There is a lot of talk of partitionism here. Some Tyrone posters seem to think that welfare or pay in the 26 counties should be cut so that this road can go ahead right now, which is easy to say if it doesn't affect them.

Huge cuts in road infrastructure in the West. Maybe Dublin should get its Metro, o wait it isn't. If Dublin isn't getting something you know the rest of us have f**k all chance.

Meanwhile Derry is to remain Ireland's only main city which doesn't have a main road to the capital. Seriously, what changed since May?

Meanwhile, Derry, Letterkenny, Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballina, Castlebar, Westport, Roscommon Town, Athlone, Galway, Longford Town, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Tullamore, Tralee, Killarney, Skibbereen, Cork, Mallow, Nenagh, Clonmel will continue to experience poor interconnectivity.

Talking about this with you...why am I wasting my time. It's like having the discussion with a four year old.

Maybe you should realise that 6 counties in Ulster are not the only places in Ireland.

Nally wonder could SF arrange for a new moterway between Mayo and Belfast, it would provide crossborder interconnectivity. It would also allow me to get to places like Sligo quicker and improve the N5 at least as far as Charlestown (yes I know the N5 officially does not got through the town anymore).

And how would that rectify the fact that Derry remains the only main city in Ireland without a main road to the capital?

Call a spade a spade your just being a mé féiner, a Tyrone buck looking to get to Derry and Dublin quicker, why should you have any more right than a Mayoman wanting to be able to get to Galway or Dublin quicker? The Mayo person is paying taxes for the road.

I go to Derry by the sperrins, which would still be best for me from my house if the new road was built. And going to Dublin, a road from Aughnacloy to Derry is no use to me what-so-ever. For the people of Derry/Donegal on the other hand...

You do understand the money isn't there. You fancy they do another Roscommon A&E so you can have your 30 pieces of aphalt!

That's it. Avoid my last point 

As for no money...I am aware of the reason. My question all along which has yet to be answered, is why they are only realising this now, when back in May, (even before the 3.6bn magically reappeared), we were told that there was enough money to build the road. What changed?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

There is a lot of talk of partitionism here. Some Tyrone posters seem to think that welfare or pay in the 26 counties should be cut so that this road can go ahead right now, which is easy to say if it doesn't affect them.

Huge cuts in road infrastructure in the West. Maybe Dublin should get its Metro, o wait it isn't. If Dublin isn't getting something you know the rest of us have f**k all chance.

Meanwhile Derry is to remain Ireland's only main city which doesn't have a main road to the capital. Seriously, what changed since May?

Meanwhile, Derry, Letterkenny, Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballina, Castlebar, Westport, Roscommon Town, Athlone, Galway, Longford Town, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Tullamore, Tralee, Killarney, Skibbereen, Cork, Mallow, Nenagh, Clonmel will continue to experience poor interconnectivity.

Talking about this with you...why am I wasting my time. It's like having the discussion with a four year old.

Maybe you should realise that 6 counties in Ulster are not the only places in Ireland.

Nally wonder could SF arrange for a new moterway between Mayo and Belfast, it would provide crossborder interconnectivity. It would also allow me to get to places like Sligo quicker and improve the N5 at least as far as Charlestown (yes I know the N5 officially does not got through the town anymore).

And how would that rectify the fact that Derry remains the only main city in Ireland without a main road to the capital?

Call a spade a spade your just being a mé féiner, a Tyrone buck looking to get to Derry and Dublin quicker, why should you have any more right than a Mayoman wanting to be able to get to Galway or Dublin quicker? The Mayo person is paying taxes for the road.

I go to Derry by the sperrins, which would still be best for me from my house if the new road was built. And going to Dublin, a road from Aughnacloy to Derry is no use to me what-so-ever. For the people of Derry/Donegal on the other hand...

You do understand the money isn't there. You fancy they do another Roscommon A&E so you can have your 30 pieces of aphalt!

That's it. Avoid my last point 

As for no money...I am aware of the reason. My question all along which has yet to be answered, is why they are only realising this now, when back in May, (even before the 3.6bn magically reappeared), we were told that there was enough money to build the road. What changed?

They realised people from Tyrone would be able to get to Dublin quicker to wreck their heads.

[Nally Stand]

There is a lot of talk of partitionism here. Some Tyrone posters seem to think that welfare or pay in the 26 counties should be cut so that this road can go ahead right now, which is easy to say if it doesn't affect them.

Huge cuts in road infrastructure in the West. Maybe Dublin should get its Metro, o wait it isn't. If Dublin isn't getting something you know the rest of us have f**k all chance.

Meanwhile Derry is to remain Ireland's only main city which doesn't have a main road to the capital. Seriously, what changed since May?

Meanwhile, Derry, Letterkenny, Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballina, Castlebar, Westport, Roscommon Town, Athlone, Galway, Longford Town, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Tullamore, Tralee, Killarney, Skibbereen, Cork, Mallow, Nenagh, Clonmel will continue to experience poor interconnectivity.

Talking about this with you...why am I wasting my time. It's like having the discussion with a four year old.

Maybe you should realise that 6 counties in Ulster are not the only places in Ireland.

Nally wonder could SF arrange for a new moterway between Mayo and Belfast, it would provide crossborder interconnectivity. It would also allow me to get to places like Sligo quicker and improve the N5 at least as far as Charlestown (yes I know the N5 officially does not got through the town anymore).

And how would that rectify the fact that Derry remains the only main city in Ireland without a main road to the capital?

Call a spade a spade your just being a mé féiner, a Tyrone buck looking to get to Derry and Dublin quicker, why should you have any more right than a Mayoman wanting to be able to get to Galway or Dublin quicker? The Mayo person is paying taxes for the road.

I go to Derry by the sperrins, which would still be best for me from my house if the new road was built. And going to Dublin, a road from Aughnacloy to Derry is no use to me what-so-ever. For the people of Derry/Donegal on the other hand...

You do understand the money isn't there. You fancy they do another Roscommon A&E so you can have your 30 pieces of aphalt!

That's it. Avoid my last point 

As for no money...I am aware of the reason. My question all along which has yet to be answered, is why they are only realising this now, when back in May, (even before the 3.6bn magically reappeared), we were told that there was enough money to build the road. What changed?

They realised people from Tyrone would be able to get to Dublin quicker to wreck their heads.

In the same way they built an airport in knock? Hoping some of the Mayo inbreds wud take the hint and feck away off.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

There is a lot of talk of partitionism here. Some Tyrone posters seem to think that welfare or pay in the 26 counties should be cut so that this road can go ahead right now, which is easy to say if it doesn't affect them.

Huge cuts in road infrastructure in the West. Maybe Dublin should get its Metro, o wait it isn't. If Dublin isn't getting something you know the rest of us have f**k all chance.

Meanwhile Derry is to remain Ireland's only main city which doesn't have a main road to the capital. Seriously, what changed since May?

Meanwhile, Derry, Letterkenny, Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballina, Castlebar, Westport, Roscommon Town, Athlone, Galway, Longford Town, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Tullamore, Tralee, Killarney, Skibbereen, Cork, Mallow, Nenagh, Clonmel will continue to experience poor interconnectivity.

Talking about this with you...why am I wasting my time. It's like having the discussion with a four year old.

Maybe you should realise that 6 counties in Ulster are not the only places in Ireland.

Nally wonder could SF arrange for a new moterway between Mayo and Belfast, it would provide crossborder interconnectivity. It would also allow me to get to places like Sligo quicker and improve the N5 at least as far as Charlestown (yes I know the N5 officially does not got through the town anymore).

And how would that rectify the fact that Derry remains the only main city in Ireland without a main road to the capital?

Call a spade a spade your just being a mé féiner, a Tyrone buck looking to get to Derry and Dublin quicker, why should you have any more right than a Mayoman wanting to be able to get to Galway or Dublin quicker? The Mayo person is paying taxes for the road.

I go to Derry by the sperrins, which would still be best for me from my house if the new road was built. And going to Dublin, a road from Aughnacloy to Derry is no use to me what-so-ever. For the people of Derry/Donegal on the other hand...

You do understand the money isn't there. You fancy they do another Roscommon A&E so you can have your 30 pieces of aphalt!

That's it. Avoid my last point 

As for no money...I am aware of the reason. My question all along which has yet to be answered, is why they are only realising this now, when back in May, (even before the 3.6bn magically reappeared), we were told that there was enough money to build the road. What changed?

They realised people from Tyrone would be able to get to Dublin quicker to wreck their heads.

In the same way they built an airport in knock? Hoping some of the Mayo inbreds wud take the hint and feck away off.

Think you will find the Airport up in Knock was built because Mayo people got up of their arses and built it. Get yourself a shovel and go build yourself a road sonny-boy.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Welcome to Mayo, try an land one of these babies in Tyrone 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzGW6XepzPY&feature=related

[Evil Genius]

I think Nally's points are all fair questions, and people appear to be ignoring his points/ questions.

When it was reaffirmed in May that the project was still going ahead, what's changed since then to stop it going ahead.

€3.6 billion

The Irish Governement didn't suddenly find €3.6 Bn in some account that they'd forgotten about. Rather, their Accountants have informed them that their total debt is €3.6 Bn less than was previously thought.

So even assuming the Accountants are correct, this adjustment is hardly an excuse to reverse previously planned cuts, never mind go on a spree. Rather, it merely offers a slightly earlier date by which the country's finances can be said to be manageable* once more.

Anyhow, whilst I'm disappointed that this road isn't now going ahead, I am astonished it's taken this long for Dublin to pull it. Indeed if I were an ROI taxpayer, or Welfare recipient, or Hospital patient, or parent with schoolkids etc, I'd be fuming at my Government spending this money in another jurisdiction which is hardly less well off than my own. 

And as for those ROI taxpayers etc in the NW who would benefit from its being built, there are plenty others of their fellow country men who've seen much-needed infrastructure projects cut.

Oh well.



* - Just seen an item on the News about Italy's debt rate reaching an "unsustainable" 7.4%. The equivalent Irish figure is still over 8%

[armaghniac]

Plans for a major Dublin to Derry road link are not being abandoned, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted.

The Government also remains committed to helping upgrade a dual carriageway between Belfast and Larne, he claimed.

Mr Kenny has come under attack from both sides of the border for reneging on a 400 million euro promise towards the cross-border M2/A5 project.

Plans to start work on the road, which would connect Donegal with Dublin through Northern Ireland, were mothballed as part of the Republic's austerity measures.

However announcing Dublin's spending plans for the next four years, Mr Kenny denied the shelved projects were being abandoned outright.

"They are being deferred until the economic situation allows them to proceed," he said.

"The same applies to the A5/A8 road projects in Northern Ireland. The Government remains committed to these projects, even if they will now require a longer timeline."

Mr Kenny said he was seeking early discussions with authorities in Northern Ireland about a new timetable and implementation plan for the Dublin/Derry route.

These financial commitments were part of the St Andrews Agreement struck during intensive peace process negotiations between political parties and both the Irish and British governments.

It included vows to upgrade 19km between Monaghan and Aughnacloy and 24km from Letterkenny to Lifford. But those promises have gone the same way as Dublin's Metro and Dart underground light rail proposals, as well as other major infrastructure projects put on ice under spending restrictions imposed by the EU/IMF rescue package.

[Minder]

According to Ken Reid the Irish government has now pledged the money for the A5 

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

According to Ken Reid the Irish government has now pledged the money for the A5 

Disgraceful parochial politics from Messer Kenny, his republican Ulster roots are coming through.

[ziggysego]

According to Ken Reid the Irish government has now pledged the money for the A5 

Speculation it could only be from Strabane to Derry.