Ministers at Stormont in Northern Ireland have approved the long-awaited A5 road upgrade project – including a full dual carriageway.

The BBC reports total cost of the road upgrade will be about £1.2bn, with €600m (£500m) coming from the Irish government.

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said that work on the project would begin in early 2025 and would completed on a phased basis.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill described it as a momentous day while Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly welcomed the announcement as good news.

(Picture – Infrastructure NI)