Image source, PA Media

We're ending our live page coverage now after the Irish government announced €800m for cross-border projects.

If you missed it earlier, here is where the money will go:

• €600m for the A5 North-West transport corridor
• €50m for Casement Park in west Belfast
• Funding for Narrow Water Bridge connecting County Down and County Louth
• €12.5m for a new hourly rail service between Belfast and Dublin
• €10m in a renewed visitor experience at the Battle of the Boyne site in County Meath
• Commitment to work with the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland's three sites at Dunsink, Armagh and Birr
• Developing pilot cooperation schemes by enterprise agencies (up to €30m) and on education (up to €24m)

You can also read more in our story here.

Thanks for joining us.

(Additional reporting by Luke Sproule, Jessica Lawrence and Davy Wilson)

Democratic Unionist Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says Irish government funding for the A5 is a "restoration of a promise it first made in June 2007 to the Northern Ireland Executive".

While the overall cost of the project has significantly increased, Donaldson says his party welcomes the Irish government's decision to restore its funding commitments.

"With a significant squeeze on capital budgets today's announcement will allow for a greater degree of certainty on the A5 build next steps," he says.

Image source, Reuters

Speaking in relation to the Irish government's €50m commitment to the redevelopment of Casement Park, Sir Jeffrey says it "does not deal with the substantive funding gap that exists as a result of the massive increase in costs over the period".

He adds he cannot see how additional UK taxpayer resources will be available to fund the project when other vital public services are in need of additional resources.

"It will be for the UK government to clarify its position in the coming period," he says.

Cormac Campbell
BBC News NI South-east reporter

The announcement that the Narrow Water Bridge finally appears to be over the line comes at the end of a near 50-year local campaign to link the south Down town of Warrenpoint with the the north Louth village of Omeath.

But the project has always been about much more.

By crossing the lough, it’s hoped that a major tourism destination can be developed linking the Mournes, Ring of Gullion and Cooley Mountain ranges.

The project also enhances accessibility from Belfast and Dublin to locations including Carlingford, Rostrevor and Newcastle.

A further aspect is the further funding for the completion of the Carlingford-Newry Greenway, which passes by the base of the bridge on the County Louth side.

But it’s hoped that the development will lead to significant private sector investment with hopes that new hotels will be among the first outworkings.

A final value has not been put on the Dublin government’s investment - it’s understood to be significantly higher than previous estimates - but it’s hoped the final aspects of the tender process could be completed soon, allowing construction work to begin as early as next month.

Cormac Campbell
BBC News NI South-east reporter

In Omeath, County Louth, there was optimism that the Narrow Water Bridge could reinvigorate the village.

Rachel Byrne says the increased footfall will be a "big change".

"I reckon it will bring a lot of footfall through here tourism-wise and bringing everyone back through the village to see what we have to offer," she says.

"I reckon people see the potential now for Omeath with the bridge going to be open."

Jacqueline McArdle remembers large numbers of Northern tourists visiting the village in the past, something she hopes to see returning.

She's also looking forward to easier access to Warrenpoint and Rostrevor.

"We had to drive right around through Newry back to Warrenpoint just to go to the park," she says.

"In a couple of years...we could walk or cycle across the bridge - it’ll be great."

Anne Marie McParland lives further along the Cooley Peninsula.

She hopes the bridge will work in tandem with the ferry service, which currently runs between Greencastle and Greenore, to build a broader tourism product.

"We hope it will put Omeath back on the map and with the ferry it will take everybody together."

There’s an onus now on the government in Northern Ireland to approve further funding for the A5 upgrade, Social Democratic and Labour Party assembly member Daniel McCrossan says.

The West Tyrone representative says Stormont's Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd needs to “follow suit” following the announcement by the Irish government.

Work, he adds, must start this year.

“We have been a long time getting to this stage and what we need now from the minister is urgent clarity on the next steps,” McCrossan says.

He also paid tribute to the A5 campaigners, many of whom, he adds, “who have lost loved ones on this road, who have worked so hard in recent years”.

Responding to the funding pledge for the A5, Northern Ireland Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd, whose department has responsibility for NI roads, says that delivering the upgrade is a priority.

"Too many lives have been cut short or forever changed by serious injury as a result of road traffic collisions on the A5 and too many families are living with the devastating consequences," he says.

O'Dowd adds he spoke to Leo Varadkar recently about funding for the road and welcomes the increased funding proposal for the cabinet.

"I believe that the willingness is there to help to get this road built," he says.

"I will continue to engage with the taoiseach and my executive colleagues to ensure funding is available to progress the A5.”

Image source, PA Media

Some more reaction is coming through now after the Irish government announced €50m towards the redevelopment of Casement Park.

The Alliance Party's Sports spokesperson David Honeyford says he welcomed today's funding, and has called on the UK government to bring its own funding package.

“This is fantastic news from the Irish government, moving us a step further to ending the prolonged uncertainty over the future of the Casement project and ensuring the stadium will be ready to host matches for one of the world’s biggest sporting competitions,” he says.

“Benefits to the hospitality, tourism and events sectors can be boosted by improvements to infrastructure, including rail connectivity.

“But now the UK government must act to provide funding as well and we need to see construction beginning as soon as possible.

"The development of this facility will help the sport flourish at all levels and be a central pillar in seeing Belfast become a venue for all sorts of events going forward.

“It is vital we grasp this amazing opportunity being presented to us.”

Mark Simpson
BBC News NI

The money from Dublin won't solve the financial problems facing Casement Park in Belfast - but it will certainly help.

The proposed €50m is more than £40m, and the cost of re-building the stadium could well be more than £200m.

Attention will now focus on the GAA, the Stormont Executive and the UK government to see exactly how much money they are willing to pay.

Watching with interest is another stakeholder, the European football authority Uefa.

If Casement is to host the Euros in 2028, they will want the funding sorted out soon, and building work to start by this summer, at the latest.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris appears to have cast doubt on how much money the UK government could contribute towards the redevelopment of Casement Park.

Last year, he said the government would ensure money was found to aid construction in time to ensure Euros games can be played there in 2028.

He was questioned by MPs on the NI Affairs Committee as the Irish government announced it is putting €50m towards the stadium.

Mr Heaton-Harris said he had not seen final projected costs for the stadium yet, which would determine how much London decides to contribute.

He said when that happened, the government would determine "what the range of possibilities will be".

Image source, PA Media

"I'm very wary... that contractors when bidding for a contract like Casement Park might choose to think that the taxpayers' largess is infinite in this space and I want to make sure it is completely understood that while I'm sure there will be a decent taxpayer contribution it's got to be done on a value for money basis... if something becomes way too expensive then things have to change."

DUP MP Jim Shannon put it to him that £220m was the latest projected cost.

Mr Heaton-Harris replied: "We have enough experience in UK government of how much it costs to build stadia, I haven't seen the figure you've talked about but there will be a point where executive ministers who want to do an amazing job in delivering this for NI will have thought... you can do a lot more good with this money."

A redeveloped Casement Park will not just be a stadium used for the Euros in 2028 it will be “a ground for all of Ulster”, Leo Varadkar says.

About 15% of the province of Ulster live in the Republic of Ireland, he adds, so “it makes a lot of sense that we should make a contribution”.

Image source, GAA

“We don’t intend to impose a legally binding commitment on who can and can't use the stadium; that would not be appropriate and it would just cause unnecessary delays

“But we are clearly saying this is tax payers' money we are investing in Casement Park. We know it’s going to be used for soccer for the Euros and Gaelic games.

“We would like to see it used more generally for sporting and cultural events. It should be a stadium that belongs to everyone in Belfast, everyone in Northern Irelandand everyone in the province of Ulster,” he says.

The announcement of a hourly rail service between Belfast and Dublin has been praised by Sinn Féin's John Finucane, adding the party have called for improved connections between the two cities to support business, retail and tourism needs.

“This will create greater access for jobs and opportunities, help to tackle the climate emergency and will provide a boost to the thriving all-island economy," the North Belfast MP says.

“We must continue to invest in our rail network and improve connectivity across the island.”

Stephen Kelly is the chief executive of Manufacturing NI and his father, Terry, was killed on the A5 in 1995.

He told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme that too many families had lost loved ones on the road since the upgrade was announced in 2007, but never carried out.

“This road has taken so long,” he says.

“It’s been held up for such a long period in time and, in the meantime, people have lost their lives, families have been damaged and that’s not an acceptable place to be."

He hopes that the Stormont Executive can make up the difference in the money needed to upgrade the road.

“Hopefully, Stormont has that capital money set aside and we can begin to see some construction on even some sections of that road before this year’s out."

Keiron Tourish
BBC News NI north west correspondent

Debbie Deans from Strabane’s Business Improvement District (BID) regeneration group welcomes the news that €600m of funding will go towards improving the A5.

“This is fantastic for the north-west as it will improve our transport links and connectivity and hopefully lead to far greater investment in towns like Strabane," she says.

"For far too long we’ve been neglected in terms of jobs and investment. We have great people and a top class retail and tourist offer which we want to promote to a much wider world."

Ms Deans adds on a personal level there has been a "huge loss of life on the A5" and hopes the project will greatly improve safety as well as connectivity to the north-west.

Keiron Tourish
BBC News NI north west reporter

Stephen Kerrigan is a former bus driver who lives in the village of Sion Mills, along the route of the A5.

Heavy traffic has dominated village life for more years than locals care to remember. Today the cars, vans and - especially the lorries - are thundering through a place called the model village. There's some scepticism that the A5 project will ever be completed. But a straw poll suggests many are in favour of the huge roads scheme.

“I think it’s about time but if I'm being brutally honest I don’t think it’ll happen in my lifetime," Kerrigan says.

"I hope it does. It's the most dangerous road in the country.

"I used to drive an Ulsterbus for 20 years and the road is getting worse and worse and worse.

"I’m glad I’m retired now.”

Reaction is starting to come in following the Irish government's funding announcement.

Órfhlaith Begley, MP for West Tyrone where the A5 runs through, says she welcomes the €600m commitment to the A5 upgrade.

"This is one of the most dangerous roads on this island and the scene of heartbreak for too many families," she posts on X, formerly Twitter.

"I will work together with others to ensure the new A5 is built as soon as possible."

Mr Varadkar is asked about the time scale for the release of the funding announced today.

It’s a “multi-annual announcement”, he says, with the funding spread over a number of years.

“But the money is available to be drawn down once the projects are ready,” the taoiseach says.

“Enabling works have started on Casement already so we will be happy to make a contribution to that, in relation to the A5, I spoke with Minister O’Dowd in Stormont a week or two ago and he believes work can begin on at least one section this year,” Mr Varadkar adds.

In short, it is a proposed cross-border bridge between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The bridge, across Carlingford Lough, has been discussed for decades but was hit by a series of delays and funding problems.

Final costings will not be known until the conclusion of the tender process next year.

The proposed 280m crossing will have segregated car, cycle and pedestrian lanes and it will be able to open to allow tall boats to pass through to Newry Canal.

Although the Irish government has pledged money towards the project, it has not said how much it will give.

• Read more: Narrow Water Bridge project receives €3m from Irish government

The money announced for the Narrow Water bridge reflects a long-standing commitment to the project, Mr Varadkar says.

The bridge will connect the Cooley Peninsula in Louth to the Mourne Mountains in Down, and complete the scenic Carlingford Greenway.

Mr Varadkar says he believes the contract for the bridge can be signed as “early as next month”.

There’s money too, he adds, for a new visitor experience at the site of the Battle of the Boyne, an improved hourly rail service between Dublin and Belfast at peak times, and money for the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland, including at Armagh.

“This funding is about all-island investment, boosting the all-island economy and improving connections North and South, benefiting both jurisdictions and all communities,” he says.

“It is about understanding that, whatever the constitutional future of Ireland brings, investing in people, in quality of life, in opportunity, and for the generations to come, are all of our responsibilities and a common good we can best progress by working together”.

Martin says that the money is not being "offered" by Dublin but is one element of a "partnership" across the island of Ireland.

"There is a significant subsidy from the UK government in terms of current funding - this is a very significant capital allocation by us," he says.

Image source, GAA

The Casement Park project is under the spotlight again today, with the Irish government announcing €50m towards a redeveloped stadium.

It was originally set to cost £76m - with £61m coming from Stormont and a further £15m coming from the GAA.

But with inflation and spiralling construction costs, it is now expected to cost about £140m.

The GAA says £15m is the maximum it will contribute towards the rebuild, and as Stormont gets back up and running after a 24-month hiatus, the minister in charge of the project says a "considerable" amount of money still needs to be found.

The Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris previously said he was confident the stadium would be built.

The site is set to host one of football’s biggest tournaments in four years time, and Uefa, the governing body of football in Europe, is keeping a close on eye to see if redevelopment will be met by the mid-2027 deadline.

• Read more: Casement Park and the long road to Euro 2028