Tá sé fíorthábhachtach d'fhorbairt eacnamaíoch san iarthuaisceart go ndéanfar uasghrádú ar bhóthar an A5 ó Dhoire go dtí Achadh na Cloiche agus chun saolta a shábháil fosta. Tá moill i bhfad ró-fhada ar an mbóthar seo mar gheall ar chásanna cúirte agus tá sé in am anois fosta ag Rialtas na hÉireann an gealltanas a thug sé ag Comhaontú Chill Rìmhinn maidir leis an tionscadal seo a chomh-mhaoiniú ag leibhéal 50% a chinntiú agus go gcuirfear i gcrích é.

The A5 road is a vital infrastructure project that was agreed by the British and Irish Governments more than 16 years ago in 2007 as part of the St. Andrews Agreement. It was recognised at the time that this project was needed to unlock the economic potential of the north west, a region that remains deprived and risks falling further behind without action. The upgrade to put in place a dual carriageway from New Buildings in Derry to Aughnacloy would improve connectivity in the region and increase access to education, skills and employment for communities within that region.

It is also a vital upgrade to what is one of the most dangerous roads on the island of Ireland. Last month, three members of the same family tragically lost their lives in a collision on that road. Since this project was first approved back in 2007, 47 people have lost their lives on the A5, with families bereaved and communities broken. On Tuesday evening there was a public meeting in Tyrone led by a grassroots campaign, Enough is Enough. It is led by Tyrone GAA and the families of those who lost their lives on the A5. They know this project is much more than just unlocking the potential of the north west but is also about saving lives.

There can be no further delays. Sinn Féin is fully committed to delivering this critical project for the people and for the communities of the north west. As part of the St. Andrews Agreement, the Irish Government agreed to co-fund this project on a 50-50 basis with a financial commitment at the time of £400 million. The Government has a crucial role to play and must match words with action and commitment with funding. With the passage of time, the cost of delivery of the A5 upgrade has increased. Our deputy leader and First Minister designate, Ms Michelle O'Neill, wrote to the Taoiseach in January this year underlining the need for the Irish Government and the Executive to remain fully committed to the delivery of the A5 upgrade. However, commitment must be more than simply words. It must be backed with funding to get it over the line. For too long this project, which is critical to save lives and improve the economic prospects of the entire north west, has been beset by legal challenges and public inquiries. Its delivery and the people who depend on this road to be completed can no longer be frustrated by delays or lack of funding commitment.

I ask the Minister that his Government recommit to the delivery of the A5 upgrade to save lives and to improve the economic prospects of the north west. I ask that the Government recommit to co-funding the project, as was previously pledged under the international agreement reached at St. Andrews in 2007, on a 50-50 basis in order that the Executive and the Irish Government can work together to deliver this crucial project for the people of the north west. I ask the Minister to give that commitment today. I also emphasise the importance of link roads such as the N2 and the road from Lifford into Letterkenny, which join this crucial infrastructure project.

I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this issue. He is right to say that this is not just about improving infrastructure or opening up the economic potential of the all-island economy in the north west. It is also about road safety and saving lives. That is a stark statistic the Deputy put on the record, that since the upgrade was first announced in 2007, 47 people have died. That most recent tragedy was absolutely awful and our deepest sympathies go to the family and community concerned.

I reiterate the support of the Irish Government for this project, which has been long delayed and has been in gestation for a long number of years. It relates to the upgrade of the A5 from Aughnacloy to the outskirts of Derry. We all acknowledge this project is well overdue. It also involves opening up the north west in a more fundamental way, connecting Derry and Letterkenny to other parts of Ireland. We have already touched on the issue of road safety. Of course, it is a project governed by the planning process in Northern Ireland. My understanding is there have been very significant delays, legal challenges and unavoidable delays. I understand that stage 3 of the public inquiry is due to commence next Monday, on 15 May. It is to be hoped that represents a significant milestone and that this project is moving towards receiving approval over the period ahead.

In respect of the issue of funding, we acknowledge that the cost of delivering this important piece of infrastructure, along with all other items of infrastructure, has increased significantly with the passage of time. The funding arrangements in respect of the A5 have been governed by the 2014 Stormont House Agreement and the implementation plan, A Fresh Start, and are contained in the New Decade, New Approach document of 2020. Under this agreement, the Government has committed to provide funding of £75 million towards the cost of the A5 upgrade scheme once the statutory planning process in Northern Ireland has been concluded. I think it is fair to say the timeframe for the delivery of this road remains uncertain. However, provision has been made in the Department of Transport budget here in the current year of £25 million in the event that the scheme is approved and funding is actually needed. As I said a moment ago, I acknowledge costs have changed very significantly in recent years.

There is a willingness on the part of the Irish Government to re-examine this issue to see what more we can do to help bring the project to fruition. The Taoiseach echoed those sentiments yesterday. However, we do need partners we can negotiate with and have a discussion with in the form of the British Government but also the Northern Ireland Executive. Once we have a project that has gone through all the statutory processes and we know the scope and likely cost of the project, the Irish Government will not be found wanting and will engage in a spirit of co-operation, recognising the strategic importance of this road. Our commitment to the all-island economy and to all-island infrastructure has been underlined by the shared island project, which has been backed up with €1 billion of hard capital that we are prepared to make available. We have made a substantial start on making capital available between now and 2030 across a range of different areas.

I thank the Minister. As somebody who travels on that road every single week, I recognise the importance of the potential of that road but also the heartbreak that communities felt. Two weeks ago we were not able to go home via the A5 because of the tragic accident in which three people were left dead. When myself and my colleague, Deputy Mac Lochlainn, along with our delegation, left St. Andrews those 16 years ago after getting a commitment that the A5 would be upgraded to dual carriageway status and that 50-50 co-funding would be provided, little did we think that we would still be in this position and where next Monday I will attend a public inquiry to which I have made a submission.

I welcome the words of the Minister and the Taoiseach in respect of their continued commitment and that they will not be found wanting. However, I ask the Minister to go back to the position taken at St. Andrews. It is an international agreement in which the Irish Government agreed to co-finance this road at a 50% rate.

That financing was reduced as a result of the economic collapse in this State. I am asking because of the importance of this road for the entire north west and its importance in terms of saving lives. The department in the North recognised this road upgrade will prevent 2,877 casualties in the next 60 years, never mind the lives it will save. I am asking the Minister whether the Government is willing to go back to the position it held in the St. Andrews Agreement where there was to be co-financing of the road on an equal basis.

The next step here is to have an agreed and approved project. This is a project that is still in the statutory planning process. We hope it will come through that in the not-too-distant future. What the Taoiseach and I have signalled is a willingness for us to have a conversation with our partners in Northern Ireland and with the British Government to see what more might need to be done on behalf of this Government and this State to bring about the delivery of this project. We recognise how important it is economically, socially and, of course, from a road satiety point of view, but we need to have a project that is approved.

It has had a long journey to get to this point. Again, I point to the fact that we have made a substantial capital commitment of €1 billion out to 2030. So far we have allocated almost €200 million under the shared island fund. We are, therefore, backing up our words with cash and with a financial commitment. We are prepared to have that discussion once we have an approved project and once we have people to sit down with to discuss this issue.