Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the matter of the Narrow Water bridge project, which has also been raised several times on the Dáil’s Order of Business. It seems to be running into severe difficulties, particularly at a time when we are talking about the peace dividend. The bridge would be the ultimate in symbolism and achievement as far as progress in the North is concerned in the 15 years that the peace has been building.

A ballpark figure for the project’s construction is €10 million. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has indicated he will support financially both local authorities North and South of the Border, Louth County Council, Newry and Mourne District Council and Down District Council, which are all interested in the project's going ahead. More importantly, the Special European Union Programmes Body, SEUPB, promised €17.4 million to the project. While the project has been in gestation for some time, unfortunately, several days ago the SEUPB secretariat indicated that because it was not possible to finalise the financial package, it would withdraw its offer of funding.

While there has been some toing and froing, the door is still ajar. Significant efforts are being made to move the project on and get it over the line. While I am not a full member of the committee, will it consider sending a message to the SEUPB secretariat asking it to afford three to four weeks to allow the various bodies and agencies involved to make one final effort to pull the package together?