Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to support Senator Brennan in his call for the Leader to urge the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, to ensure that the paperwork pertaining to the Narrow Water Bridge between south County Down and north County Louth is completed as soon as possible. Senator Brennan is being somewhat modest about his role as a premier community activist in Carlingford responsible, with others, for the premier Tidy Towns award. He was subsequently the Chairman and a member of Louth County Council, the Chair of the East Border Region Committee, a member of the British Irish Parliamentary Body and the North South Inter-Parliamentary Association. He has consistently supported the Narrow Water Bridge project, which, when constructed, will be of major economic benefit to the region. It will also be a major bridge, in terms of peace and reconciliation, between two parts of our island, namely south Down and north Louth. Places like Rostrevor, Kilkeel, and Carlingford will be able to join together in a new future in that region. In that context, it is very important that the pinch points that exist are resolved.

There is a time limit on this. It has been 18 weeks since the Special EU Programmes Body approved funding of over ¤15 million for this project. The Minister for Regional Development in Northern Ireland, Mr. Danny Kennedy, MLA, and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar must be congratulated on the progress that has been made on the project in the last six months. Now that we have reached the end game we must ensure that we do not falter. I ask the Leader to ensure that special efforts are made to complete this project, which is so important to the Border region. We must make sure that the last hurdle is jumped.