McCrossan: A5 must be delivered as the cost of failure is too high
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan has said the A5 must be delivered, ahead of the judgment due on Tuesday 6 October.
Mr McCrossan said the continued delays to the project have had serious consequences for road safety, public confidence and the economic future of the West.
Daniel McCrossan MLA said:
“Tuesday will be another hugely significant day in the long and frustrating history of the A5. I remain resolutely optimistic and absolutely determined to see this road delivered.
“For me, this has always been about one thing above everything else, saving lives. Too many people have died. Too many families have been left devastated. Every further delay carries a human cost that simply cannot be ignored.
“But there is also a serious question of political responsibility here. The continued failure to deliver this road, alongside its rising cost, is symptomatic of what I believe has been the incompetence and dysfunction of the Sinn Féin/DUP-led Executive.
“After all these years, people are entitled to ask how one of the most important infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland has been allowed to become trapped in repeated delay and uncertainty.
“The A5 is also fundamental to the economic future of the West. We need modern infrastructure to attract investment, create jobs, improve connectivity and open up this part of the island to greater opportunity. It remains a key priority for the SDLP, and we will continue to push for its delivery.
“The Department has been given another opportunity to get this right. Let’s hope they have done their job properly this time. The cost of another failure is simply too high for our families, our communities, our economy and our future.
“The people of the West have waited long enough. Enough delay. The A5 must be delivered.”
Durkan challenges Executive doublespeak on homelessness prevention
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA has described the failure of Executive parties to deliver on their Programme for Government commitment to prevent homelessness as a shameful betrayal of the 65,000 people across the North affected by the homelessness crisis.
Responding to a question from Mr Durkan in the Assembly, the Communities Minister confirmed that First Minister Michelle O’Neill has refused to place a paper on the Executive agenda which would have prioritised funding for homelessness prevention.
Mark H Durkan MLA said:
“The Executive’s Programme for Government commits to making homelessness brief, rare and non-recurrent. Yet for tens of thousands of people across Northern Ireland, that could not be further from their lived reality.
“Sinn Féin’s latest attempt to talk tough on housing while blocking action on homelessness at the Executive table exposes the gap between their words and their actions. It is deeply regrettable that Executive parties talk about the urgent need to tackle the housing crisis while preventing practical steps that could stop people becoming homeless in the first place.
“People are being let down by a politics that makes bold promises but fails to deliver. They won’t be taken for fools by the bluff and bluster from Sinn Féin and the DUP when they can see the reality on the ground. Families are struggling to find a suitable home, people are languishing on housing waiting lists, and households are spending far too long in hotels and B&Bs because there is nowhere else for them to go.
“The public don’t need another round of political point-scoring or promises that disappear when the Executive meets. They need homes. They need timely access to health services. They need action on the cost-of-living crisis. Above all, they need an Executive that delivers on the promises it has already made.”
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