Infrastructure Projects At Risk Amid Ambiguous Decision-Making Process

A wide range of infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland are at risk amid ambiguity surrounding the decision-making process in the absence of a functioning Assembly, SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson, Sinead Bradley MLA, has said.

Ms Bradley voiced her concerns after the Institute of Directors articulated their disappointment that £1 billion of infrastructure projects are on hold after Monday's legal decision to render plans signed off by the Civil Service on the Hightown Incinerator were deemed unlawful.

The South Down MLA said: "Since the collapse of the Assembly in January 2017, the SDLP have expressed deep concern around governance and decision making in the absence of a functioning Assembly.

"After decades of political strife holding Northern Ireland back from fulfilling its full potential, it is extremely disheartening to see projects such as the A5 and North-South Interconnector on hold because of the continued inability of political parties to work together in the best interest of the whole community.

"The SDLP have been clear that to get off this hamster wheel the Secretary of State must convene the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, to agree on and implement a package of legislation to break this damaging cycle of deadlock."

(MH/LM)