John O'Dowd
Upper Bann · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“As I set out in response to the previous question, we have in place the vacant property rate relief scheme and the small business rate relief scheme, which are very successful. I set aside £10 million in the draft Budget for small business rate relief to be invested.”
“I am particularly keen to hear from those impacted by vacant commercial units and especially about how any phased increase can be implemented in a sustainable way that is fair, proportionate and sustainable within the tax system.”
“I outlined my intent to take that approach in my statement on 18 November, alongside the fact that reform of rating policy should support growth, make better use of property and ensure that the system is fair, proportionate and aligned with wider economic objectives.”
“The accelerator will operate alongside our highly successful Back in Business scheme, which has helped to bring over 100 vacant high street properties back into use since May 2024. Those issues have been the subject of considerable interest and comment in the Assembly, and it is right that we grasp the nettle now.”
“There are no circumstances in which a hard border would be good for the people of Ireland; it would not be good for anyone. Those who suggest that are being naive at best and dangerous at worst, in the sense of not understanding this society. <BR /> <BR />Rural communities along the border are one and the same.”
“This announcement represents the next step in that. That said, I also put on record my intention to strengthen support for small businesses. In that vein, £10 million has been set aside in the draft Budget to broaden the impact of the small business rate relief scheme in order to increase the number of businesses that can benefit from it.…”
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“<BR /> <BR />After careful consideration of the relevant Court of Appeal's decision made during 2018 in Buick, as well as the provisions of the NI (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018, the legal advice that was provided to the departmental officials indicated a high likelihood that the permanent secretary's decision would be quashed. It was concluded that it was not therefore in the public interest to continue defending the legal challenge, and, consequently, the decision to proceed was quashed, taking effect from 16 November 2018. Essentially, the quashing of that decision took the project back to the February 2016 position, effectively knocking it back three years. <BR /> <BR />Since November 2018, the Department has carried out work to enable a decision by a new Minister.”
“With almost 1,000 representations made, a public inquiry was deemed necessary, and the second inquiry took place in the latter half of 2016. <BR /> <BR />The Planning Appeals Commission's (PAC) report from the inquiry was received by the Department in May 2015, and it advised that the project should proceed. In the absence of a Minister, a formal decision to proceed was made in November 2017 by the then permanent secretary of the Department. The decision, if unchallenged, would have represented the completion of the statutory procedures and allowed the project to move to the construction phase. However, the decision was again legally challenged by the Alternative A5 Alliance in December 2017. Some 10 grounds of challenge were listed, including the powers for the permanent secretary to make the decision in the absence of a Minister.”
“For the record, following the first public inquiry in 2011, the statutory orders to allow the A5 to proceed were made in 2012. Subsequently, however, they were challenged by the Alternative A5 Alliance, a group that was opposed to the new road from the outset. The challenge led to the quashing of the statutory orders in April 2013, and it was judged that the Department had not fully met its obligations under the habitats regulations. <BR /> <BR />That unprecedented ruling set a new compliance benchmark for the development of all major infrastructure schemes from that point onwards. Lessons were learned from that ruling, and further development work to address the deficiencies followed, leading to the publication of a consultation on a new environmental statement and draft statutory orders in February 2016.”
“My Department and I must, nevertheless, follow due process and apply due diligence. As the House will be aware, the A5 dualling project is an Executive flagship project: its origins are in the St Andrews Agreement and it was agreed through the North/South Ministerial Council in 2007. As a project to deliver 85 kilometres of new dual carriageway between Newbuildings and the border at Aughnacloy, it is a significant and ambitious by any standards. It is the biggest roads project ever to be undertaken here. My Department must comply with the statutory procedures governing the construction, improvements and acquisition of land for trunk roads as contained in the Roads (NI) Order 1993. Members will know the history of the project.”
“He has since rebuilt his business, and he said to me, "John, tell anyone who has concerns to come and talk to me because I am proud to be able to say that I helped save people's lives on the A4". The A5 is a similar example. <BR /> <BR />While improving road safety has always been, and remains, one of the key objectives of the new road, it is not the only one. The new dual carriageway is also of significant strategic importance to the north-west region and to our wider island, as several Members have pointed out, and will help to tackle regional imbalance and improve the economy, job prospects, prosperity and the connecting of communities. <BR /> <BR />I share the frustrations expressed by Members about the length of time that it has taken to get this transformative project through the statutory processes.”
“<BR /> <BR />An example, if one is needed, that has been mentioned by several Members is the provision of the dual carriageway on the adjoining A4 between Dungannon and Ballygawley. That notorious road had 37 fatalities in 10 years, and the new dual carriageway was opened in 2010. While every fatality is, of course, regrettable, there have been just two since the opening of the A4. I had a conversation recently with a farmer who lost land as a result of the A4 scheme. He told me that, at the time that the A4 was being proposed, he was deeply frustrated and, indeed, angry that he was going to lose land. I know the connection between farmers and their land. He also had a business that was severely disrupted as a result. He is now proud that he contributed to the safety features of the A4.”
“Clearly, a new dual carriageway can significantly reduce collisions through the physical separation of vehicles travelling in opposite directions; by facilitating safe overtaking for the entire 85-kilometre length of the new dual carriageway; by enabling vehicles to travel at a consistent and safe speed; by minimising manoeuvres at busy junctions and side roads; by separating those on strategic long-distance journeys from those on local trips; and by providing significant relief to the many towns, villages — Colm pointed out the impact on Aughnacloy — and hamlets along the existing road that will no longer have to endure the burden of constant heavy traffic volumes through the heart of their local communities and local facilities such as schools and shops that adjoin the existing road.”
“First, I thank Nicola Brogan MLA for instigating this debate on the delivery of the A5 dual carriageway. I have listened with interest to the comments and issues raised by Members, and it is clear that the delivery of the A5 project is of huge importance for Members, as it is for me as Minister for Infrastructure. I have made clear on many occasions my commitment to taking this project forward in accordance with the statutory procedures. <BR /> <BR />As Members have pointed out, with over 50 fatalities along the existing A5 since 2006 — a staggering and depressing figure, I have to say — the dangers to the users of the current A5 are evident for all to see and have caused heartbreak in too many family homes.”
“Following an evaluation of the tenders, the Irish Government officials intend to bring a memorandum to Government in the coming weeks to award the tender. The project is being brought forward by Louth County Council, and most of the works on the project fall to that council. My Department will play its role on the Warrenpoint side. It is a very exciting project, which will provide a huge economic boost to that area. I can assure the Member that my Department will play its role.”
“Both Administrations continue to attach priority to the Narrow Water bridge. The Irish Government's Shared Island Fund provided €3 million to bring the Narrow Water bridge project to the tender stage, with a further €2 million provided to complete the tender process, which concluded in October 2022.”
“Unfortunately, one of the areas in which we have had to reduce spending is advertising about road safety. There are some deliberations about how effective that messaging can be and at what times it should be at, but I want to send out this clear message: no matter how much my Department spends on improving roads, fixing potholes and correcting faults, if drivers do not change their attitudes towards speeding and careless driving, our death toll, which has increased in the past year, will continue to increase. Drivers' attitudes to other road users are vital in improving road safety.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I published the 'Draft Road Safety Strategy to 2030' in October 2022. Since its publication, officials have continued to progress the work on the strategy and the one-year action plan that supported it. Our report on the progress of the actions for 2022-23 was completed, and it is available on the Department's website. A new 52-point action plan for 2023-24 was developed. A progress report for those actions will follow in due course. As it is a cross-cutting matter, I will present an updated road safety strategy and action plan to the Executive in the near future.”
“Yes. In a previous debate, I said that it was around 200 kilometres per hour. It is a high-speed rail link between Portadown and Derry. It is part of the all-island strategic rail review. It is an ambitious plan that gives connectivity, tackles climate change and promotes public transport. Those projects are medium- to long-term projects, but they are important. It is crucial that they include tackling regional imbalance and correcting the mistakes of the past.”
“To tackle regional imbalance from a transport perspective, the Department is preparing a new suite of transport plans that will continue to improve the connectivity and sustainability of the transport system across the region. That will include the ambitious plans outlined in each council's local development plan. My Department continues to support the development of the city and growth deals and to play our part in delivering those. Among other things, I am committed to delivering the upgrades to the A5 and phase 3 of the Derry to Coleraine railway line as part of that progress.”
“Without a doubt, the safety of all our pupils attending schools is paramount. I will put this on the record: drivers need to change their behaviour. Accidents are largely caused by speeding or carelessness. No matter how many measures are put on a road, if someone is going to speed or drive carelessly, they will cause an accident. I appeal to drivers to change their attitude to road users, both vehicles and pedestrians. We will then have much safer roads.”
“The honest answer is that I do not know, but I am more than happy to engage with my officials and report to the Member. Such things are set against criteria on traffic and the number of pedestrians in the area. It is about whether it is even safe to install the pedestrian crossing at a certain section of the road and ensuring that it does not cause a danger to pedestrians or drivers. I am more than happy to engage with my officials about that.”
“Invest-to-save would be an Executive strategy, and I would welcome it. However, the Executive are not exactly flush with funds either. The absence of Ministers over the last couple of years has not helped matters. Officials have had to work within a stringent budget. I have more flexibility in how I deal with my budget internally. I am studying it to see what imaginative proposals we can bring forward to ensure that we maintain our roads safely so that we are not paying out those compensation fees and can use the money that we have on improving the state of our roads, our active travel routes and anything that we can invest in.”
“You might need a metre ruler in some places, unfortunately. <BR /> <BR />We are carrying out emergency repairs. That is the service that we can deliver because of the financial situation that we are in. I assure you that my officials, the grounds team and those who work on the roads want to do more, but, unfortunately, apart from the additional finance that I gave them towards the end of this financial year, we are significantly underfunded. I am looking at my budget for next year, both capital and resource, to see what we can do. We went through a period, understandably, of much discussion of what we cannot do: I want to enter a period of discussion about what we can do. That is the approach that I am taking in the Department.”
“I hope that the Member is not going around measuring potholes in his constituency.”
“I am not familiar with the stretch of road, but it is clear that our roads have fallen into a state of disrepair. It is not because of unwillingness among my team or staff to repair them; it is down to the simple reality that we are not properly financed in this place. That is recognised across the Chamber. The British Government have to start financing us properly to run public services. Road maintenance is a public service, and it needs properly financed and properly resourced.”
“I am more than happy to engage with my officials about that, and I will report to the Member. The £8·1 million that I announced recently is for larger, more significant road resurfacing and maintenance schemes. I will report to the Member when I have a response.”
“I am happy to engage in writing with the Member about that and even to respond to her young constituents. However, as I say, the scheme is under review. We are trying to establish how effective it has been and whether it changes driver behaviour.”
“The locations are being reviewed to see how effective they have been and whether they are having any impact on driver behaviour. Before we came back here, I used to drop my child off at school, and I was alarmed at the speed at which some drivers thought it appropriate to drive past a very busy school, whether in the morning or the evening. Sometimes, I asked myself what signs would stop them, other than a police officer standing there ready to give them a ticket.”
“There is another side to that argument. A car parked for several hours in a town centre may be taking up the parking space of somebody who is prepared to stop, go into a shop and purchase goods or services. There is certainly a number of elements that you have to look at when you are deciding on a car parking charge for any town centre or small village. However, it should be in line with how we support commercial activity rather than restrict it.”
“None at this stage. Enforcement is carried out for the Department by a private contractor. I have no plans in the pipeline to review that.”
“It is a priority in terms of the stage that it is at. It will have to be assessed against all other projects when it reaches the stage where I have to match it with a capital budget. I have been pleased with the work that my officials have carried out thus far. I am hopeful of a successful conclusion.”
“When I was previously in post as Minister in 2022, I visited Hannahstown with the Member, where I met representatives of the Hannahstown Community Association and saw at first hand the obvious need for a footway through the village. I can confirm that the scheme is a priority for my Department. I am pleased to tell the Member that the detailed design process is progressing well. Following a recent public meeting that my officials attended, the next stage of the design process is to meet individual residents affected by the scheme to agree accommodation works with them. That will start soon. It is a challenging footway scheme, and its delivery is subject to completion of the detailed design, achieving funding and land and a separate procurement process.”
“The Member has corresponded with me on the Caw roundabout, as have others. My officials will engage with developers on that issue to ensure, first, that the road network is capable of taking any increased traffic on it, and, secondly, what contributions, if any, developers will have to make towards that.”
“That is a significant investment, but, unfortunately, it is not enough to maintain the roads to the standard that we would like.”
“Including the £8·1 million capital investment in the structural road maintenance programme this year, the amount allocated for structural maintenance in 2023-24 is at a current estimate of £99 million.”
“The rural road network makes up 75% of the total road network, and therefore a significant proportion of the overall budget allocated for structural maintenance will be targeted towards the rural road network. I have also allocated a further £1 million to be spent on the fixing of potholes this year, and, in addition, I recently announced the allocation of £8·1 million for my Department's structural maintenance programme.”
“I recognise that there has been historic underinvestment in our road network for a significant number of years and that many rural roads are in need of repairs. That is why I recently announced an additional investment of £1 million to begin to address that issue. Since 2016, my Department has targeted funds towards a road improvement package to stop deterioration and to repair severe defects on the local road network. A significant proportion of that funding has historically been targeted to the rural road network. In 2023-24, some £10 million was initially allocated to the roads recovery fund, of which £8 million was directed towards rural roads.”
“In the absence of a legal challenge, I cannot see any further delays to the A4 scheme, but you never know where a legal challenge might pop out from. Thus far, there have been no murmurings about significant opposition to the scheme, so I hope that that remains the case. <BR /> <BR />We will have to study the Audit Office report, and the Public Accounts Committee will have to deliberate on that. However, I will say this: as a former Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, I often found that it was not that you needed new governance but that the old governance arrangements should have been used properly. The more layers of bureaucracy we put on top of our officials, the more time it takes to deliver projects. There is a balance to be found in all these things.”
“The construction of major road projects can significantly impact on climate, particularly during the construction phase. However, I am pleased to advise that the scheme shows an overall reduction in carbon emissions in the long term and has a beneficial impact on climate. In fact, the environmental impact assessment shows that, when the bypass is open, the combined emissions along the adjacent road network will have an overall reduction when compared against not having the scheme. Consequently, the scheme has a carbon payback period for its construction carbon emissions of 28·8 years.”
“The bypass, when open, will also create significant opportunities to enhance active travel and placemaking measures in the town centre with reduced levels of through traffic. <BR /> <BR />My Department is developing an active travel delivery plan for the North. That includes an update of the design guidance for active travel infrastructure and active travel network plans for over 40 of our largest towns and cities, including Enniskillen.”
“I thank the Member for the question. I also take the opportunity to thank my Executive colleagues again for the funding announcement for this important scheme. <BR /> <BR />The proposed new bypass will provide a new 3·5 kilometre active travel route adjacent to the bypass, connecting into the existing footway/cycleway network. The new route will provide significant active travel benefits to the town and promote more people to walk and cycle. <BR /> <BR />The new bypass will also alleviate significant traffic congestion in Enniskillen, and it will reduce delays and improve average journey times by approximately 50% while bringing much-needed improvement to road safety in the area. The removal of through traffic will also bring enhancements to the town centre environment by improving air quality and reducing noise levels.”
“That question was raised in the consultation process, and I am giving careful consideration to it. It would carry a significant financial tie if I were to increase it, but it is one of the questions that I am deliberating on and will respond to in due course.”
“There were over 20,000 responses to the consultation, and, unsurprisingly, the majority of them were opposed to the scheme's removal, for a variety of reasons. My officials are still giving those documents careful consideration. It is my intention to retain the scheme as it is. I have to balance that against the budget that is available to me, and I will therefore have to engage with my Executive colleagues on how we maintain the current scheme. As has been proven by the consultation responses, the scheme is important to a significant section of our society, who would be left isolated without it. I hope to be in a position to make an announcement to the Assembly in the near future, in which I will set out a definitive pathway, but there is still some more work to be done.”
“I thank the Member for her question. As I said in my response, Translink is working closely with IMTAC, a key stakeholder in the design and provision of new fleets for the service. There are always lessons to be learned. During my previous time as Minister here, I had engagement with IMTAC, and, through that, it was clear that there were areas on which we were falling down and on which we had to improve. Yes, new equipment that we purchase has to be of the highest standard and meet the needs of people of all abilities. We should also have the most up-to-date specifications in our stations, and, where we have older stations, we should look at how we will introduce designs to ensure that everyone has access to our public transport services and to the proper facilities that they require.”
“Community transport services in urban and rural areas provide an affordable and accessible alternative transport option for those who have difficulties accessing the main public transport network. Finally, the concessionary fares scheme provides free or discounted access to public transport for older and disabled people, thus removing or reducing financial barriers to travel.”
“Translink is evaluating a low-floor, single-decker Goldliner and hopes to develop an agreed specification on that vehicle type with its stakeholders, including IMTAC. <BR /> <BR />My Department and Translink are also committed to introducing Changing Places facilities and are among the first public bodies to do so. Changing Places facilities have already been provided at Portrush station, the north-west transport hub and Lanyon Place station and are included in the plans for Belfast Grand Central station and for Botanic, Lurgan and Yorkgate stations. <BR /> <BR />My Department funds other programmes that are designed to remove the barriers to travel faced by older and disabled people, thus reducing social isolation and improving access to goods and services.”
“The Department funds Translink, which works to ensure that services and facilities are accessible to all. That means creating a consistent customer experience for everyone, thus ensuring accessible public transport for people with all levels of abilities. <BR /> <BR />The public transport fleet is fully compliant with accessibility regulations. I recognise, however, that higher standards of accessibility are needed, and, where possible, Translink continues to improve the accessibility of its vehicles and stations. For example, it has agreed specifications for future bus designs with the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee (IMTAC), with the intention that all vehicles that are used on local stage carriage services be low-floor.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Sections of the A1 were built around 40 years ago. There has been an upgrade since then, but the sections were built to the standard at the time. They do not meet current safety standards, so we have to make sure that the safety improvements, as outlined in the junction work, and the installation of the flyovers are delivered. As I said, I am looking at ways to finance and deliver those, and at whether we can do the work in phases. I am acutely aware of the project, both from my time as a constituency MLA, which I still am, of course, and from my previous role as Minister. I am carefully deliberating on it.”
“I am happy to do so and to engage with the British Government on their responsibility to fund some of the major infrastructure projects that we have here. I refer back to the UK connectivity report. It is an important document, and we cannot let the British Government off from living up to their responsibilities. I assure you that I make bids to whoever I talk to who, I think, has money.”
“I have agreed to meet Monica Heaney to discuss her campaign and the tragedy of her son's death. I met her previously in my role as an MLA. I am more than happy to meet campaign groups, as is the case with groups campaigning on the A5. Local voices and those who have lost loved ones are vital to this. The A1 scheme has progressed to a point where I am unable to progress it any further, due to budgetary constraints. I constantly review my budget, however. The nature of major schemes in which my Department is involved is that some can fall behind, for a variety of reasons. That means that I can move others forward. I am spinning many plates — let us put it that way — to see how we can move projects forward.”
“The Shared Island initiative aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance cooperation, connection and mutual understanding across the island and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future. I welcome the Irish Government’s commitment to Shared Island schemes, particularly with the announcement of €600 million for the A5 western transport corridor. Officials will continue to engage with counterparts on the funding opportunities that could be secured through that initiative for projects such as the A1 junction.”
“I welcome the fact that the local community made their voices heard, particularly during the previous Planning Appeals Commission's public hearings. Daily attendance by local people and local representatives at those events was significant. Groups such as A5 Enough is Enough have continued to make their voice heard. I am listening to them and am due to meet them in the coming weeks. They are important stakeholders in the decision-making process. As I said, I intend to study the Planning Appeals Commission's report faithfully and will respond to it in due course.”
“The sound was not good, Mr McNulty, but I think that you asked to what extent I blame the lack of progress on the legal challenges. Sorry, Mr Speaker, the sound is not good.”
“I cannot give you a start date until I have concluded my deliberations on the Planning Appeals Commission's report. It is a detailed and comprehensive report that deserves careful study. If I were to move ahead without giving that report due cognisance, I would leave myself open to another JR, further delay, rising costs and the potential of more deaths on that road. I would love to be able to come to the House and make an announcement about my decision, but I have to and intend to do this the right way.”
“It is connectivity in every meaning of the word, and I therefore hope and expect that the British Government will contribute towards it.”