Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their questions. There will be a debate on Northern Ireland the week after next. Deputies have raised issues they wish to be debated here. We will have the Health Service Executive plan next week and a debate on Northern Ireland, the Haass talks and all of that the following week and everybody will have the opportunity to contribute to that.

Deputy Martin raised the issue of the Narrow Water bridge. We supported this in principle. Unfortunately, the problem was that while the estimate was for it to cost €18 million, the tender price came in at over €30 million. The local authority in County Louth had undertaken to make up the shortfall and the European moneys were due to be allocated. If those moneys were not allocated within a specific time, they would be allocated elsewhere and that is what happened. The Northern Ireland Executive and the Government agreed that we would keep this project alive.

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