Stormont Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said she intends to pursue an appeal against a court judgment to stop the improvement of the notorious A5.
Ms Kimmins was speaking as she met campaigners from the A5 Enough is Enough group.
Last week, the High Court in Belfast quashed a Stormont decision to approve the major scheme.
It ruled in favour of a legal challenge to the £1.2 billion upgrade of the A5 linking counties Donegal to Monaghan through Tyrone and Derry.
The judge found the project did not comply with Stormont’s own Climate Change Act.
He said the environmental impact of the scheme had not been properly assessed or scrutinised.
The flagship project has been promised €600 million from the Irish Government.
Since the scheme was first proposed by the Stormont Executive in 2007, 57 people have died on the A5.
Minister Kimmins said that to appeal the court’s decision would need approval by the Northern Ireland Executive.
“It’s my priority that we find the best solution but the quickest solution. That is very complex.
“We need to do it very carefully and that’s why I will not be knee-jerking in terms of decisions but we are carefully considering that [an appeal]. My officials, our legal team, are all doing that.
“I’m delighted to have the Enough is Enough campaign here today because I think it’s important that we all work together, that we provide united collaboration on this very important scheme, and that we get to the end result as quickly as possible.”
Tags:
