With the deadline to appeal the High Court ruling on the A5 Western Transport Corridor fast approaching, SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan has highlighted growing concerns over whether the Department for Infrastructure is prepared to take decisive action.

Mr McCrossan stressed the need for clear assurances that the department is not only ready to launch an appeal but also capable of successfully overturning the judgment, emphasising that public confidence is at stake as the appeal window closes in early August. Mr McCrossan said: "We are approaching a decisive moment. The Minister must now give a clear guarantee that her department has all its ducks in a row, that the legal advice, planning work and Executive approval processes are fully aligned to ensure a robust and urgent challenge.

"The A5 cannot afford another false start. This is a road that has already been delayed by 17 years. Every legal setback and every collapse of Stormont has come at a cost, not just to public money, but in lost lives and lost opportunities."

He added: "The Executive must act decisively. There must be no more drift, no more silence and no more missed deadlines."