Latest news with #Kimmins
RTÉ News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Intention to appeal ruling on A5 upgrade
Stormont Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said that it is her intention to pursue an appeal against a court judgment to stop the improvement of a key road in Northern Ireland. Ms Kimmins was speaking as she met campaigners from the A5 Enough is Enough group. Last week, the High Court in Belfast quashed a Stormont decision to approve the major scheme. It ruled in favour of a legal challenge to the £1.2 billion upgrade of the A5 linking counties Donegal to Monaghan through Tyrone and Derry. The judge found the project did not comply with Stormont's own Climate Change Act. He said the environmental impact of the scheme had not been properly assessed or scrutinised. Minister Kimmins said that to appeal the court's decision would need approval by the Northern Ireland Executive. "It's my priority that we find the best solution but the quickest solution. That is very complex. "We need to do it very carefully and that's why I will not be knee-jerking in terms of decisions but we are carefully considering that [an appeal]. My officials, our legal team, are all doing that. "I'm delighted to have the Enough is Enough campaign here today because I think its important that we all work together, that we provide united collaboration on this very important scheme, and that we get to the end result as quickly as possible." Ms Kimmins said the upgrade is a flagship project and there are "wider implications" from the judgment. "Everything remains on the table. We will look at all the options available to us. My priority and my determination is that we find a solution and we get this road built, so that no more lives are lost." First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that Ms Kimmins "will bring forward a recommendation" to appeal the ruling. She said the executive "agreed to continue working together with the local community to get this road built". Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins will bring forward a recommendation to the Executive to appeal the A5 road court ruling. Today, we met with the Enough is Enough campaign group and agreed to continue working together with the local community to get this road built. The… — Michelle O'Neill (@moneillsf) July 1, 2025 Following the meeting, A5 Enough is Enough Chairman Niall McKenna said: "The judgment itself last week said that the one thing that is certain is that further delay will lead to further deaths on the road. "We have implored the department to act decisively and to act fast and we would welcome an appeal." The flagship project has been promised €600 million from the Irish Government. Since the scheme was first proposed by the Stormont Executive in 2007, 57 people have died on the A5.
ITV News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Infrastructure Minister refuses to rule out A5 appeal after court ruling halts project
The Infrastructure Minister has described the court ruling that rejected the A5 upgrade as a "setback", but also said that she has not ruled out appealing the decision. During an appearance before her Stormont scrutiny committee, Liz Kimmins said: "Nothing is off the table at this point until we get a clear understanding of what the ruling means." On Monday, High Court judge Mr Justice McAlinden quashed the Executive move to approve the project following a legal challenge from a group including residents, farmers and landowners. The judge said the proposed scheme breached sections of Stormont's Climate Change Act. There have been more than 50 deaths on the A5, which links Londonderry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006. Infrastructure Committee chairwoman Deborah Erskine said: 'It is now a mess, whose fault is it?' Ms Kimmins said: 'Officials provided hundreds and hundreds of pages of scientific evidence, this is the third legal challenge that has been taken against this major infrastructure project which will save lives amongst other benefits. 'At this point in time I think it would be irresponsible to lay blame with anybody. 'We need to carefully consider the ruling. It is a very detailed report, very complex. I have been working immediately to look at what that means.' Ms Kimmins added: 'This is a setback but I want to ensure it is of minimal time and we can get to work as soon as possible.' DUP MLA Ms Erskine pointed out that vesting of land for the road upgrade began last year. She said: 'Within that intervening period work was able to progress along the route while the High Court case was running. Who made the decision to do that? 'As I look in my constituency, land has been changed to unrecognisable levels. Who made that decision to proceed at risk?' Ms Kimmins said: 'The land was vested and was therefore owned by the department so the works that had commenced were within the law. 'The purpose of that was to ensure we were ready to hit the ground running on the other side of this judgment should it have been a positive outcome. 'Had we not done that, and we had a positive outcome, we were also operating at risk because that would have further delayed the ability to commence construction, which could have impacted on contractors and resulted in higher costs.' Ms Erskine repeated her query over who made the decision to proceed with the preparatory work, stating land had been left with 'tonnes of stone now sitting on it'. Department for Infrastructure permanent secretary Denis McMahon said he had been content with that decision because he felt the project had needed to move forward. He said: 'I was looking at the advice of officials working with me, I was part of that decision-making process. 'There was always a danger of costs that would be incurred up front, but the greater risk at that stage was if we did not proceed with some of the preparatory works, we would be putting the whole project at risk and given the value of the project, the biggest project in the history of Northern Ireland, it was important that we proceeded as best we could. 'These are always difficult decisions but we have to look at value-for-money arguments in the round.' Ms Erskine said: 'Farmers are now counting the cost of their land being unrecognisable. 'Do you accept now that decision was potentially wrong and is now going to cost the department in terms of the public purse in reinstatement of that land?' Mr McMahon said: 'I accept there will be costs associated with that decision. 'I also accept that where we are sitting today, knowing the information that we know today, would I take that decision today? I am not sure I would, well in fact obviously I wouldn't cause I know the judgment. 'But at the stage we were at in terms of officials taking that decision, I am content we took the best decision we could at that time.' Ms Kimmins said the next steps included the land being returned to those landowners. She said: 'The next steps now are, once the judge had ruled to quash the decision and the associated orders, once they are quashed now the land will return to those landowners and letters will go out from the department as there are quite a number of people need to be contacted. 'That will outline the next steps and there will be further engagement in relation to that.' Ms Erskine asked the minister if she would launch an appeal against the court judgment. Ms Kimmins said: 'Nothing is off the table at this point until we get a clear understanding of what the ruling means, what the key issues are and what the options are to address this. 'We rule nothing in or out at this stage.'
RTÉ News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
NI Minister pressed over next steps after A5 setback
Northern Ireland's Infrastructure Minister has been pressed to urgently outline the next steps for the proposed upgrade of a road known as the most deadly in Ireland. The A5 project suffered a major knockback yesterday when the Stormont Executive's decision to proceed with the upgrade was quashed at the High Court in Belfast. Mr Justice McAlinden said the proposed scheme breached elements of the Climate Change Act 2022. There have been more than 50 deaths on the road, which links Londonderry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006. Liz Kimmins appeared at the Assembly for an urgent question on the situation this afternoon. She described to MLAs a "hugely disappointing day" yesterday for her, as well as the families of those who have died on the road. She said it had been a "very detailed judgment" that her and her officials will "take time to carefully consider in full, including any implications for the scheme and the department's next steps". "It was the first legal test for the Climate Change Act and for the Climate Action Plan, something that every department will now have to deal with the outworkings of," she told MLAs. "It's deeply regrettable that we have received this decision as we continue to see so many lives lost on this road, deaths that cause so much pain to families and tear our communities apart. "It is undoubtedly the most dangerous road in Ireland, so my priority remains the safety and wellbeing of all road users, and I am determined that we will deliver the A5. "Building the road will save lives, will create jobs, and will significantly reduce journey times between the north west and Dublin. "So despite this setback, I'm determined to find a way forward that sees this road built to ensure that we save lives, and every single day of delay risks more avoidable heartbreak, and as infrastructure minister, I'm determined to ensure that a new A5 is delivered." Stormont Infrastructure Committee chairwoman Deborah Erskine put it to Ms Kimmins that the situation is an outworking of "unrealistic and punitive climate targets". "Her party was joined by the SDLP and Alliance in imposing unrealistic and punitive climate targets despite the explicit warnings from the then agriculture and environment minister about the long-term impacts of those varied targets on other government departments, including the Department for Infrastructure," the DUP MLA said. "Will you now take responsibility for the real world impacts of virtue signalling that has led us to this point, and apologise for it and outline how you intend to solve this mess of which other parties and your party created here." Ms Kimmins responded, saying it was "not the time for point scoring". "Across the world people are taking action in terms of climate change and our responsibilities to deal with that," she said. "I think in the context of what we are talking about here today, I think it's important to remember the families who are impacted by this decision. This is not a time for point scoring, this is a time about looking for solutions. That's what I'm committed to doing, and that's what I'm determined to do." SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan also criticised Ms Kimmins, contending she "should have provided clarity on the immediate next steps for this life-saving project", instead of saying they will take time to consider the judgment in full. "This is time she does not have, people's lives are at stake every day on the A5," he said. "The minister, her predecessor John O'Dowd, and the Department for Infrastructure must take responsibility for this latest delay. "The SDLP Opposition has brought forward a proposal to amend the climate legislation to enable the A5 upgrade to proceed. "We are willing to do whatever is necessary to make progress and get this road built. We now need to see the same urgency from the minister to deliver this project and save lives."
North Wales Chronicle
24-06-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Stormont Infrastructure Minister pressed over next steps after A5 setback
The A5 project suffered a major knockback on Monday when the Stormont Executive's decision to proceed with the upgrade was quashed at the High Court in Belfast. Mr Justice McAlinden said the proposed scheme breached elements of the Climate Change Act 2022. There have been more than 50 deaths on the road, which links Londonderry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006. Liz Kimmins appeared at the Assembly for an urgent question on the situation on Tuesday afternoon. She described to MLAs a 'hugely disappointing day' on Monday for her, as well as the families of those who have died on the road. She said it had been a 'very detailed judgment' that her and her officials will 'take time to carefully consider in full, including any implications for the scheme and the department's next steps'. 'It was the first legal test for the Climate Change Act and for the Climate Action Plan, something that every department will now have to deal with the outworkings of,' she told MLAs. 'It's deeply regrettable that we have received this decision as we continue to see so many lives lost on this road, deaths that cause so much pain to families and tear our communities apart. 'It is undoubtedly the most dangerous road in Ireland, so my priority remains the safety and wellbeing of all road users, and I am determined that we will deliver the A5. 'Building the road will save lives, will create jobs, and will significantly reduce journey times between the north west and Dublin. 'So despite this setback, I'm determined to find a way forward that sees this road built to ensure that we save lives, and every single day of delay risks more avoidable heartbreak, and as infrastructure minister, I'm determined to ensure that a new A5 is delivered.' Stormont Infrastructure Committee chairwoman Deborah Erskine put it to Ms Kimmins that the situation is an outworking of 'unrealistic and punitive climate targets'. 'Her party was joined by the SDLP and Alliance in imposing unrealistic and punitive climate targets despite the explicit warnings from the then agriculture and environment minister about the long-term impacts of those varied targets on other government departments, including the Department for Infrastructure,' the DUP MLA said. 'Will you now take responsibility for the real world impacts of virtue signalling that has led us to this point, and apologise for it and outline how you intend to solve this mess of which other parties and your party created here.' Ms Kimmins responded saying it was 'not the time for point scoring'. 'Across the world people are taking action in terms of climate change and our responsibilities to deal with that,' she said. 'I think in the context of what we are talking about here today, I think it's important to remember the families who are impacted by this decision. This is not a time for point scoring, this is a time about looking for solutions. That's what I'm committed to doing, and that's what I'm determined to do.' SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan also criticised Ms Kimmins, contending she 'should have provided clarity on the immediate next steps for this life-saving project', instead of saying they will take time to consider the judgment in full. 'This is time she does not have, people's lives are at stake every day on the A5,' he said. 'The minister, her predecessor John O'Dowd, and the Department for Infrastructure must take responsibility for this latest delay. 'The SDLP Opposition has brought forward a proposal to amend the climate legislation to enable the A5 upgrade to proceed. 'We are willing to do whatever is necessary to make progress and get this road built. We now need to see the same urgency from the minister to deliver this project and save lives.'
South Wales Guardian
24-06-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Stormont Infrastructure Minister pressed over next steps after A5 setback
The A5 project suffered a major knockback on Monday when the Stormont Executive's decision to proceed with the upgrade was quashed at the High Court in Belfast. Mr Justice McAlinden said the proposed scheme breached elements of the Climate Change Act 2022. There have been more than 50 deaths on the road, which links Londonderry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006. Liz Kimmins appeared at the Assembly for an urgent question on the situation on Tuesday afternoon. She described to MLAs a 'hugely disappointing day' on Monday for her, as well as the families of those who have died on the road. She said it had been a 'very detailed judgment' that her and her officials will 'take time to carefully consider in full, including any implications for the scheme and the department's next steps'. 'It was the first legal test for the Climate Change Act and for the Climate Action Plan, something that every department will now have to deal with the outworkings of,' she told MLAs. 'It's deeply regrettable that we have received this decision as we continue to see so many lives lost on this road, deaths that cause so much pain to families and tear our communities apart. 'It is undoubtedly the most dangerous road in Ireland, so my priority remains the safety and wellbeing of all road users, and I am determined that we will deliver the A5. 'Building the road will save lives, will create jobs, and will significantly reduce journey times between the north west and Dublin. 'So despite this setback, I'm determined to find a way forward that sees this road built to ensure that we save lives, and every single day of delay risks more avoidable heartbreak, and as infrastructure minister, I'm determined to ensure that a new A5 is delivered.' Stormont Infrastructure Committee chairwoman Deborah Erskine put it to Ms Kimmins that the situation is an outworking of 'unrealistic and punitive climate targets'. 'Her party was joined by the SDLP and Alliance in imposing unrealistic and punitive climate targets despite the explicit warnings from the then agriculture and environment minister about the long-term impacts of those varied targets on other government departments, including the Department for Infrastructure,' the DUP MLA said. 'Will you now take responsibility for the real world impacts of virtue signalling that has led us to this point, and apologise for it and outline how you intend to solve this mess of which other parties and your party created here.' Ms Kimmins responded saying it was 'not the time for point scoring'. 'Across the world people are taking action in terms of climate change and our responsibilities to deal with that,' she said. 'I think in the context of what we are talking about here today, I think it's important to remember the families who are impacted by this decision. This is not a time for point scoring, this is a time about looking for solutions. That's what I'm committed to doing, and that's what I'm determined to do.' SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan also criticised Ms Kimmins, contending she 'should have provided clarity on the immediate next steps for this life-saving project', instead of saying they will take time to consider the judgment in full. 'This is time she does not have, people's lives are at stake every day on the A5,' he said. 'The minister, her predecessor John O'Dowd, and the Department for Infrastructure must take responsibility for this latest delay. 'The SDLP Opposition has brought forward a proposal to amend the climate legislation to enable the A5 upgrade to proceed. 'We are willing to do whatever is necessary to make progress and get this road built. We now need to see the same urgency from the minister to deliver this project and save lives.'
