ALMOST £600 million will be spent on road and hospital-building projects in Northern Ireland over the next four years, the Stormont Executive has agreed.
The investment will include a £330 million spend on two sections of the A5 upgrade.
The Executive has also given the go-ahead for £90 million to be spent on a new hospital in Omagh, and further refurbishment at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry and the Ulster Hospital outside Belfast.
The upgrade to the A2 between Belfast and Carrickfergus will cost £57 million and an additional £105 million will be spent on the A8 from Larne to Belfast.
First Minister Peter Robinson said the £582 million announcement from Finance Minister Sammy Wilson was “down-payment” on the Executive’s pledge to grow the local economy.
“These projects will create over 2,500 jobs for Northern Ireland’s hard-pressed construction industry, further improve our roads infrastructure and significantly upgrade our health care infrastructure in Belfast, Omagh and Londonderry.”
On the A5 project, he said: “We note that the Republic’s Government has expressed a long-term commitment to the A5 project but cannot contribute beyond the two payments of £25 million at this time.”
Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: “Every now and again we get some very disappointing news and there could be an inclination at times to lie down under that.
“This Executive is not prepared to lie down under that, this Executive has stood united and foursquare behind trying to improve the lives of our people and this initiative today, which puts people back to work at providing vitally important infrastructure in terms of roads and hospitals, is a very clear signal that we are going to continue to battle against the odds that are placed against us – we’re moving forward.”
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said the Stormont cash pledge would be welcomed by everyone involved in the local economy.
“Not only will today’s announcement benefit the construction industry as a whole, but it will also present real opportunities to manufacturing businesses and other sectors in the supply chain right across Northern Ireland. I meet with business people daily and have listened to their concerns. I know this news will be welcomed right across the board.”
Roads Minister Danny Kennedy and Health Minister Edwin Poots joined Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness at the announcement inside Stormont Castle, with Finance Minister Sammy Wilson having outlined the programme on the floor of the Assembly earlier.
Mr Kennedy said: “In the longer term it will serve as a catalyst for wider economic growth. If we want Northern Ireland to prosper we have to construct the infrastructure to enable us to compete effectively.”
Mr Poots thanked his Executive colleagues for the “rational and sensible” approach they had taken to funding bids from his department.
Private sector groups gave a broad welcome to yesterday’s announcement – but some expressed concern no further projects were given the green light.
John Armstrong, from the Construction Employers Federation (CEF), said he welcomed the clarification on projects but also described the announcement as “a redistribution of funding that had already been earmarked for this purpose”.
See Business, page 15;
Morning View, page 18
and Ben Lowry, page 19
