by Michael Devlin

IN an unprecedented move the Irish Republic is to include the counties of Northern Ireland within its infrastructure spending for the next six years.

At the time of going to press, the details for the southern government's National Development Plan (NDP), which will run until 2013, were yet to be released, however it is expected that the total sum that the Six Counties can expect to see will come in at around £800 million.

The timely windfall will be invested in schemes aimed at advancing closer ties between the two parts of Ireland and at the same time supporting the peace process by attempting to boost the North's economy. It is also believed some monies will be made available for improving cross-border roads, particularly the A5/N2 corridor between Dublin and Derry. It will also be spent on cross-border educational projects.

Local politicians have welcomed the move.

"I welcome the fact that what is known as the National Development Plan is beginning to take a national change," Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff began.

"As the All-Ireland Integration spokesperson for my party I recently met with integration co-ordinators in Dublin, around 30 civil servants, and I asked them what they were doing in terms of North/South development and this is it.

"Regarding spatial planning, what is happening here is all very logical and, I think, the way of the future. In my opinion, this is heading the way of all Ireland integration."

Similarly, Pat McDonnell from the SDLP believes that any money spent on the North's roads west of the Bann can never be a bad thing.

"I reckon this is the culmination of something Omagh District Council has been pushing for a number of years," Cllr McDonnel said. "Back when I was chairman of the council in 2002 we actually held a conference to promote the concept of a dual carriageway from Dublin through Omagh, to Derry – something I feel this cash will ultimately mean – much-needed infrastructure. Don't forget a dual-carriageway from Dublin to Derry would benefit both jurisdictions, to say nothing of what it would do for Donegal.

"This is an excellent idea, so lets get on with it."

The Irish government also moved to dismiss suggestions that this injection of cash for the North is an attempt to hollow out the British union and found a united Ireland by subterfuge.

The UUP's Ross Hussey believes the move is the 'right' thing to do. He commented, "To be perfectly honest if money is being spent in Northern Ireland it would be hard to refuse it no matter where it is coming from. In this part of the world, as part of a corridor from Dublin to Donegal, if they (people from the Republic of Ireland) will be using our roads it's probably right that they should have to pay for them."