Mr. Mickey Brady:

I thank Ms O'Donoghue for the presentation. The Narrow Water bridge has been mentioned a number of times. It is in the South Down constituency but Mr. Chris Hazzard cannot be present today. I have an interest in it because it is on the periphery of my constituency in terms of Warrenpoint and Narrow Water. There is a very active group promoting the Narrow Water bridge project. It has been ongoing for a number of years now and people are looking forward to its fruition. I have a couple of questions on the issue. The Taoiseach indicated that the money for the Narrow Water bridge will be ring-fenced. Hopefully, that is the case. Have steps been taken to expedite commencement of that project? There has been a great deal of interaction between Newry and Mourne District Council and Louth County Council and there is a long-standing memorandum of understanding between the two which has proved very useful in the past and which continues to facilitate good dialogue between the two jurisdictions.

Is it likely to be done fairly quickly? Warrenpoint, Omeath and Carlingford are areas that are frequented. When I was growing up, people spent a lot of time in Carlingford and Omeath. Carlingford is probably one of the nicest villages in Ireland. It has grown but is still unspoilt. There is a great need to promote tourism in this fantastic area, which has the Gap of the North, the Ring of Gullion, the Cooley Mountains and the Mourne Mountains. There has been talk in the past of a geopark so that may come to fruition in the future.

On promotion of the Narrow Water Bridge, there has been a good deal of talk but little action to date. People in my constituency and south Down are looking forward to that. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.