I am sure the House will join me in sending best wishes to Ireland's finest, the undisputed world champion, as she makes her homecoming on Saturday in her bid to be world champion in two weight divisions. We are all waiting for the words "and still" to be uttered at the end of the fight.

On Monday I attended the A5 public inquiry. This project is crucial to opening the north-west; transforming one of the most dangerous roads in the country; and reopening the economic potential of the north west. In the next few days the inquiry will look at a range of topics including the funding of the A5 project. This upgrade was agreed 16 years ago as part of the St. Andrews Agreement. The Government of the time agreed to co-finance it on a 50:50 basis. The Government stepped back from that commitment during the economic crisis. Given where we are with respect to economic growth, surpluses and the comments of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance, is the Tánaiste committed to financing this project on a 50:50 basis as agreed in St. Andrews?

It was agreed more recently than the St. Andrews Agreement in the context of the Fresh Start agreement and the shared island initiative. The issue is not financing, as the Deputy is well aware. A public inquiry is under way in Northern Ireland. There have been significant challenges in progressing route selection for the project in the North because of opposition from a variety of interests. I have been exasperated by this, as we have made clear through the shared island initiative. The Government has put €1 billion aside for a range of cross-Border projects, including the A5, over the next decade. We want it to come on stream. In the meantime we funded Narrow Water Bridge and the Ulster Canal. This is vital for connectivity of the north west.

I also wish Katie Taylor, who Deputy Doherty referred to, the best. I met her on my way back from Boston. At the time she was quite excited about the forthcoming boxing fight.