The Republic of Ireland has announced €800m in new funding for cross-border infrastructure projects with Northern Ireland, including an expansion to the island of Ireland’s A5 North-West transport corridor.
‘Opportunity for generations’
Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said that the announcement was “about understanding that whatever the constitutional future of Ireland and Northern Ireland as a whole may be, [we are] investing in people and infrastructure, quality of life [and] in opportunity for generations to come”.
A total of €600m is to be allocated to the A5, while €50m will be used to regenerate Belfast’s Casement Park. There will also be renewed funding for rail links between Belfast and Dublin amounting to €12.5m.
Irish Tánaiste (deputy), Micheál Martin, said:
"Iconic and strategically important projects that have been talked about for decades have either been given the go-ahead to start building or been given significant funding commitments to allow them to move forward with the help of partners, as in the case of the A5 upgrade."
He added that he was “particularly pleased” to be funding the Narrow Water Bridge project, that will connect Northern Ireland’s County Down with the Republic of Ireland’s County Mouth.
Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the new investments would “improve connectivity” across the border.
‘A matter for the UK’
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), welcomed new funding for the Casement Park GAA stadium in Belfast. The money will help to regenerate the stadium in advance of its use as part of the UEFA Euro 2028 competition.
Donaldson did suggest, however, that it “is not the job or the responsibility of the Republic’s government to provide financial support for the provision of public services and general Northern Ireland infrastructure”. That, he said, “is a matter for the UK”.
He called for the UK government to “clarify its position” regarding funding for the stadium.
Urgency
The chief executive of Derry’s chamber of commerce, Anna Doherty, said in comments reported by the Irish Times that the A5 expansion for connectivity would “drive inward investment and ensure regional balance”, while adding that the chamber wanted to see the project underway quickly.
Letterkenny chamber of commerce chief, Toni Forrester, added that a lack of connectivity was holding back investment from her region.
“I have been with the chamber for 17 years and 17 years ago we were promised this road by ministers on both sides of the border,” Forrester said, calling for more urgency in bringing about the benefits of the A5 project to the Donegal region.
Kevin Shakespeare, head of strategic projects and international development at the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT), responded to the news by saying he "wants to provide a focus on the importance of logistics to how trade operates".
"At IOE&IT, we recognise the importance of transport infrastructure to supporting economic growth. From a trade perspective, it is important that businesses engage with their customers and suppliers effectively.
"Through our work in Northern Ireland and working with partners, we are keen to see trade operate effectively, and the more education we can provide to businesses in Northern Ireland around trade, logistics and supply chains the better in order to support Northern Ireland businesses."