Ministers accused of ‘hampering’ work of committee scrutinising A5 judgment

Two Stormont ministers have been accused of “hampering” the work of a committee scrutinising a court judgment on the A5 roads project.

Infrastructure Committee chairman Peter Martin said it was “very disappointing” that Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins and Environment Minister Andrew Muir had not responded to correspondence about the interaction between their two departments over the road scheme.

Ms Kimmins has previously said an appeal has been lodged against a High Court judgment which said the major roads project could not go ahead in its current form.

In June, Mr Justice McAlinden quashed the Stormont Executive’s move to approve the £1.2 billion scheme, after a legal challenge from a group including residents, farmers and landowners.

The judge said the proposals breached sections of Northern Ireland’s Climate Change Act as they did not demonstrate how they would comply with the commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

There have been more than 50 deaths on the A5, which links Derry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006.

A scheme to turn the road into a dual carriageway was first approved by the Executive in 2007, but it has been held up by legal challenges and uncertainty over funding ever since.

At a meeting of the Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday, Mr Martin said there had been no reply from the two ministers to correspondence sent to them two weeks ago about the part of the court judgment which related to their interaction.

He said: “We simply haven’t had anything back from them.

“It is our job to scrutinise the working together of Daera (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) and DfI (Department for Infrastructure) in the run-up to the judgment being made and we don’t seem to be able to do that.

“My very clear view is that this committee is being hampered in its scrutiny work by two ministers who won’t engage with it and I find that very, very disappointing.”

The committee chairman said their request related to a judgment that was already in the public domain and in the public interest.

He said: “I am deeply frustrated and am looking at options as to what this committee can do if these two departments just choose not to engage with us.”

SDLP MLA Justin McNulty said Mr Martin had made a “very strong statement”.

He added: “The chair of the Infrastructure Committee has said that our committee, responsible for scrutinising the Department for Infrastructure, are being hampered in our roles, in our endeavours and efforts to proceed and progress the A5 road project, by the two ministers.

“What is going on?”

Mr Martin said: “What this committee is seeking to do is find out what the level of engagement between Daera and DfI was and find out the reasons behind why Justice McAlinden said what he said.

“I stand by my comments, we will see if we get something back next week.

“The line of defence from both ministers has been this matter is sub judice, it is coming before the courts.

“I don’t accept that. I accept the judgment is being appealed, there is no issue about that.

“What we are asking about is a judgment in the public domain and the reasons why the initial decision was made.”

He added: “Just to be clear to both ministers, I raise this every week until we have some solution around it.”