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Millions 'cut' from A5 budget due to legal challenge | Millions 'cut' from A5 budget due to legal challenge |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ten million pounds a month set aside for the new A5 road between Londonderry and Aughnacloy will have to be returned to Stormont, for as long as delays to the project continue. | |
Work on the dual carriageway was to begin next month, but has been held up indefinitely by a legal challenge. | Work on the dual carriageway was to begin next month, but has been held up indefinitely by a legal challenge. |
The Department for Regional Development said the money would go back into the NI Executive's central budget. | |
The A5 Alliance is the group behind the legal challenge. | The A5 Alliance is the group behind the legal challenge. |
They describe themselves as "a group of ordinary farmers, businessmen and householders". | |
DRD committee chairman Jimmy Spratt said it was an astonishing development. | DRD committee chairman Jimmy Spratt said it was an astonishing development. |
"It is something we had not anticipated, £10m a month will go back into the central kitty," he said. | "It is something we had not anticipated, £10m a month will go back into the central kitty," he said. |
Worrying | Worrying |
"The project was ready to go with anything between 750 and 1,000 jobs created, so the economics of the whole thing is very worrying indeed. | "The project was ready to go with anything between 750 and 1,000 jobs created, so the economics of the whole thing is very worrying indeed. |
"I hope that at some point in time we can get the money back into the Department of Regional Development." | "I hope that at some point in time we can get the money back into the Department of Regional Development." |
Mr Spratt added that another £750,000 a month would be added to the £10m in interest because the scheme will not start on time. | |
"I hope this legal challenge is not a delaying tactic because no-one, not the department, the committee or politicians can do anything about that because the legal challenge has to be decided by the courts." | "I hope this legal challenge is not a delaying tactic because no-one, not the department, the committee or politicians can do anything about that because the legal challenge has to be decided by the courts." |
A spokesperson for Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy said it would be inappropriate to comment, given the pending review. | |
The DRD did say that senior counsel has been instructed by the department to strongly rebut the legal challenge. | The DRD did say that senior counsel has been instructed by the department to strongly rebut the legal challenge. |
The A5 Alliance said it would also be inappropriate for them to comment on the case. | The A5 Alliance said it would also be inappropriate for them to comment on the case. |