Taoiseach renews commitment to road projects during Derry visit
by Gareth Cross
The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has reassured the people of Derry 'you won't be left behind anymore' on a visit to the city at the weekend.
He was in the north to attend the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce President's Dinner on Friday.
On Saturday he also attended a meeting with representatives of Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council at the City Hotel.
After the meeting the Taoiseach visited the Peace Bridge and Derry's Walls before holding a short press conference.
During the conference he said that he was taking Northern Ireland into consideration during the Brexit negotiations, particularly with the political vacuum existing at Stormont.
"I feel a particular responsibility to the very large number of Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland, obviously my political mandate derives from the Republic, from the 26 counties but there are a lot of Irish citizens living here and we're so integrated in so many different ways," said the Taoiseach.
"Northern Ireland is always at the front of my mind in any of those European discussions."
The Taoiseach also underlined his commitment to the A5/A6 road projects.
"It's a project I have a personal interest in, the government is very committed to making sure it happens," he said.
"I remember back in 2011 being involved in talks about funding it as Transport Minister and I'm frustrated that six years later work hasn't actually started yet.
"The financial commitment is there from the Irish government and I'm really keen to see that work commence next year.
"To talk about co-funding it into the future, it's important economically for Derry and for Donegal but it's also an important political statement that this part of the country, this part of the island isn't going to be left behind anymore."
Speaking at the dinner in the White Horse Hotel on Friday he paid tribute to the collaborative work being done at the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital.
"As somebody who was Minister for Health a few years ago, it was great to see that practical, under the radar, low key co-operation that makes such a difference to people’s lives and in that case actually saves lives," the Taoiseach said.
"Similarly cancer patients from Donegal that are now treated at radiotherapy unit Altnagelvin which the Irish Government helped fund to the tune of about €19 million.
"Donegal of course as a county on its own doesn’t have the critical mass of population to sustain specialist services such as that. "And in fact, Derry and Tyrone don’t either."
The Taoiseach said that cross-border co-operation will be even more important in the aftermath of Brexit.
"But if you take Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Donegal, there is a critical mass of population to deliver services that could only be delivered otherwise in Dublin, Belfast and even Galway.
"This is exactly the kind of model of working together that provides a future for this region, and it will be even more important post Brexit."