How the A5 will look – if ever completed.
Donegal county councillor Frank McBrearty has said the A5 road plans are stuck in a public enquiry and parties need to stop using it as a political football.
The Raphoe councillor said whatever decision is made, it may be challenged in a judicial review and may end up in the European courts.
And he warned it may be at least 10 years before the A5 project is started.
“Obviously I hope I’m wrong” commented Cllr Mc Brearty
“What we can do while we are waiting, is upgrade N13, N14, N15, N56 to a modern standard” continued Mc Brearty “We also need to upgrade and maintain the bridges we have. They are the gateway to towns in Donegal. We also need a number of bridges to connect in to a proper ring road right around Letterkenny Town as traffic congestion is at an all-time high”
He said many political candidates use the A5 as one of their key issues, yet when elected nothing seems to be done.
“In 2015 a €27 billion capital investment plan, including the commitment to funding the proposed A5 road through Northern Ireland to Derry was promised yet we are still waiting on roads and bridges to be upgraded.”
Cllr Mc Brearty feels we should demand the level of funding that is not being fought for by anyone in the Dail at the moment.
Cllr Mc Brearty said he requested government funding of 100 million euro for an exceptional needs payment which was passed by full council. However, this was completely ignored by the current government.
Cllr Mc Brearty continued “I will demand, on behalf of the Donegal people, more funding to be made available to deal with local roads. We pay some of the highest motor tax in Europe. I believe that all the money that is collected in Donegal should be given back to the council to repair, maintain and invest in new roads.”
“The building of new bridges and the maintenance and upgrade of old bridges in Donegal is vital to the infrastructural needs of the county.”
“My top priority are the N13, N14, N15 and the N56 which is vital for access and future investment in Donegal. So eventually when the A5 project starts we are already ahead of it.”
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