News
22nd December 09
12/22/2009
Ulster Unionist Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott has said he is "deeply dissatisfied" by Roads Service’s failure to provide full details and copies of agreements made over the financing of the A5.
Ulster Unionist Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott has said he is "deeply dissatisfied" by Roads Service’s failure to provide full details and copies of agreements made over the financing of the A5.
"The Roads Service response to my request for documentation relating to the funding of the A5 upgrade took 11 weeks to arrive and amounted to a couple of paragraphs outlining, in the most basic terms, the broad agreement reached.
"Quite frankly this is totally inadequate and, to my mind, raises questions about what information is contained within the correspondence to which we aren’t privy.
"There are absolutely no details of the nitty gritty of this arrangement and nothing about the Northern Ireland Executive finance for the project, and the response only talks about agreements in ’principle’ and the sums involved with the Republic of Ireland.
"I would ask the Minister to come clean about what this financial arrangement entails, both in terms of the Republic’s contribution and the corresponding commitments made by the Northern Ireland Executive.
"According to previous statements made by Minister Murphy the Irish Government has agreed to stump up some ₤400 (€580) million of the overall cost. In the context of the Republic’s own financial difficulties, which have been acknowledged as even worse than those experienced in Northern Ireland, I have limited confidence in this project’s future, particularly given that the monies are to come from ’future budgets’.
"Given that there are many who feel that this development is excessive, it is only right that we know the true costs - both within and beyond Northern Ireland’s contribution. We have a right to know what else is tied in with the Republic’s contribution to the pot."
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