Renewed hope for bridge

There were renewed hopes that the long awaited Narrow Water Bridge linking the two sides of Carlingford Lough, might still be built.

This follows the inclusion of the project, which to date has cost Louth County Council €2million, in the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ agreement which marks the restoration of the power-sharing executive at Stormont.

Sinn Fein TD Gerry Adams welcomed the commitment from the British government to provide additional financial support for infrastructure projects, including Narrow Water Bridge.

‘For this project to succeed the Irish government has to invest directly in the construction of the bridge and to work with the Executive in the North, Louth County Council and the British government to ensure that the long held vision of a bridge at Narrow Water is turned into a reality,’ he said.

Cllr Ruairí Ó Murchú said ‘Louth County Council has long supported a bridge at Narrow Water which is ‘a vital piece of infrastructure for the whole of the Mourne, Gullion and Cooley region’.

‘We now need, on the back of this Agreement, the Irish government to work closely with Louth County Council and other stakeholders in advancing the construction of the Narrow Water Bridge.’

Cllr Antoin Watters said that since elected he had ‘worked to ensure the Narrow Water Bridge project has been kept on the agenda and remains a shovel ready project. Back in 2018 when the planning permission was scheduled to lapse I had to keep pressure on both Louth County Council and also Newry, Mourne and Down Council to ensure this did not happen and that the necessary works were carried out. Louth County Council had already spent €2 million on the project so I was very sure I wasn’t going to let them write that off.’

Cllr Erin McGreehan also welcomed the news saying, ‘ This bridge could see communities brought closer together and creating many tourism & economic opportunities; making our north east border region an even better place to live.’