Fresh hopes for the Narrow Water bridge
THE inclusion of the long awaited Narrow Water bridge in the Programme for Government has led to fresh hopes the project will be given the green light.
The three-party Programme for Government document committed to ‘working with the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver key cross border infrastructure initiatives, including the Narrow Water Bridge’.
Dundalk TD Ruairí Ó Murchú welcomed the inclusion of the bridge, which is set to span Carlingford Lough, linking counties Louth and Down, in what would be a major tourist attraction for the area.
But he said it was ‘action, not words that is required now’.
‘ The inclusion of a commitment to deliver the bridge as part of a number of cross border projects is to be welcomed, but it must be remembered that the Narrow Water Bridge has received written commitments before from authorities North and South. It has been included in various documents.’
Indeed, decades have passed since the bridge was first mooted and it came close to getting the green light in 2013
‘But the estimated costs spiralled and the European funding ultimately wasn’t forthcoming,’ he added.
‘However, the planning application remains live, thanks to Louth County Council and its commitment to seeing the bridge built and everything is now in place to make it happen.’
‘What is clearly needed is funding and every and all avenues have to be explored in order to ensure it is secured. This is a major piece of infrastructure for the area and would open up the whole region to more tourism, not to mention making it easier for cross border workers to commute.’
‘Serious work needs to be done at government and Northern executive level to progress the bridge beyond the pages of the Programme for Government and into reality.’
‘We have all seen the benefits of working together on a North South basis, with the co-operation during Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit.
‘We will continue to do what it has always done in regards to this project – we will support it, we will speak up for it and we will remind the authorities on both sides of the border of their repeated commitments to getting it built’.