Stormont Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said that it is her intention to pursue an appeal against a court judgment to stop the improvement of a key road in Northern Ireland.
Ms Kimmins was speaking as she met campaigners from the A5 Enough is Enough group.
Last week, the High Court in Belfast quashed a Stormont decision to approve the major scheme.
It ruled in favour of a legal challenge to the £1.2 billion upgrade of the A5 linking counties Donegal to Monaghan through Tyrone and Derry.
The judge found the project did not comply with Stormont's own Climate Change Act.
He said the environmental impact of the scheme had not been properly assessed or scrutinised.
Minister Kimmins said that to appeal the court’s decision would need approval by the Northern Ireland Executive.
"It’s my priority that we find the best solution but the quickest solution. That is very complex.
"We need to do it very carefully and that’s why I will not be knee-jerking in terms of decisions but we are carefully considering that [an appeal]. My officials, our legal team, are all doing that.
"I’m delighted to have the Enough is Enough campaign here today because I think its important that we all work together, that we provide united collaboration on this very important scheme, and that we get to the end result as quickly as possible."
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Ms Kimmins said the upgrade is a flagship project and there are "wider implications" from the judgment.
"Everything remains on the table. We will look at all the options available to us. My priority and my determination is that we find a solution and we get this road built, so that no more lives are lost."
First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that Ms Kimmins "will bring forward a recommendation" to appeal the ruling.
She said the executive "agreed to continue working together with the local community to get this road built".
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins will bring forward a recommendation to the Executive to appeal the A5 road court ruling.
— Michelle O'Neill (@moneillsf) July 1, 2025
Today, we met with the Enough is Enough campaign group and agreed to continue working together with the local community to get this road built.
The… pic.twitter.com/nlgMgLHp9Y
Following the meeting, A5 Enough is Enough Chairman Niall McKenna said: "The judgment itself last week said that the one thing that is certain is that further delay will lead to further deaths on the road.
"We have implored the department to act decisively and to act fast and we would welcome an appeal."
The flagship project has been promised €600 million from the Irish Government.
Since the scheme was first proposed by the Stormont Executive in 2007, 57 people have died on the A5.
Additional reporting PA
