Member's statement: A5 Upgrade: Delays
Member's statement by Miss Nicola Brogan on .
- MLA
- Miss Nicola Brogan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 16 September 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- A5 Upgrade: Delays
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5110887
Read the official Assembly record
Text
It gives me no pleasure to be back here after the summer recess once again to raise the issue of delays to the upgrade of the A5 road, but it remains one of the number-one concerns in my constituency. First, I greatly appreciate the efforts of Ministers John O'Dowd and Liz Kimmins, who have worked tirelessly to push forward the A5 project. Minister Kimmins continues in her efforts to get it over the line. As a representative for West Tyrone, I am deeply disappointed and frustrated that a small number of people with vested interests continue to make every effort to ruin a road development project: a project that would be of great benefit not only to the people of my constituency but to the entire island. It is frustrating for many of us who are interested in protecting our environment to know that the Climate Change Act 2022, which was intended to safeguard our children's futures, has been misused in such a cynical and selfish manner by some. I remind those who, for their own reasons, are opposed to the A5 scheme that it is not just a major infrastructure development with the potential to open up the north-west to more investment, increased trade, faster commuting, more tourism and more jobs but, first and foremost, a safety upgrade. It is literally a matter of life and death. Fifty-seven people have lost their lives on the road since 2006. That is 57 neighbours, 57 friends, 57 members of our communities and 57 grieving families. The upgrade of the A5 road can bring that dreadful toll to a halt and ensure that we do not see another 57 names added over the next 20 years. The proof of that is in the upgrade of the A4. Every day that the A5 project is delayed is another day in which lives are needlessly put at risk. We have had 18 years of consultation, discussion and development, and every concern has been addressed. Is leor é sin.
Let us work together to get the A5 scheme delivered.
344 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not qualifying”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.08 (qualifying needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not qualifying).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.85).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.99).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-qualifying threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.06 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.05 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.12 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.06 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.85 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.08 | At or below not-qualifying threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.99 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.01 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.78 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.18 |
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.02 |
| Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty | 0.01 |
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:12 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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