Ms Joan Martin:

From a council point of view, clearly no current funding options such as INTERREG moneys are available to allow us to progress the Narrow Water bridge project as envisaged. In the absence of funding opportunities, there is little we in the councils can do beyond continuing to lobby and meet on a regular basis with various stakeholders including Transport NI and others such as the committee today.

Louth County Council has also continued to progress the compulsory purchase order which it published in respect of lands required for the County Louth approach to the Narrow Water bridge. We are purchasing the land needed to bring the connection down from the existing Omeath-Newry road on to the site of the proposed bridge. Any progress regarding the southern relief road proposal would also be of great significance, particularly in view of the close proximity of some of the route options to the Narrow Water bridge site. It may be that if this project proceeds, the construction of a second bridge at Narrow Water itself may become unnecessary but that is all in the future. That concludes our joint statement.