To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail how the current £100 million funding shortfall for the Belfast Rapid Transport project is to be addressed, beginning from the 2026-27 financial year.

The Outline Business Case for the project was submitted to DoF on 25 November 2025 with an estimated delivery cost of £124.5m and this was approved on 22 December 2025.

The current funding position means the project is being planned on a phased-delivery basis.

Whilst a significant funding shortfall remains to deliver the full scheme, the funding envelope of £35m from our Belfast Region City Deal partners along with £13m, which I have committed from my Department’s budget, will allow commencement of the first phase of this project with an expected completion by 2030.

At this stage, no further planning issues have been identified that would inhibit the delivery of any phase of the BRT2 project. This will continue to be monitored, as the complexity of work may necessitate change.

Delivering the full BRT2 programme will require the collective support of Executive colleagues, particularly as resolving the funding shortfall depends on securing additional resources through a future multi-year budget, to ensure this strategically important project can proceed in full, enabling the scheme to deliver its intended benefits for connectivity, economic growth, and sustainable travel across Belfast.