Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Given all of the travails relating to the Narrow Water Bridge, I am very pleased that a recommendation to grant planning permission for a ferry service between Greenore in County Louth and Greencastle in County Down was made at Thursday's meeting of Newry and Mourne District Council. This is a tremendous boost to the area's tourism prospects and provides a much-needed link between two areas of outstanding natural beauty, the Mourne Mountains in County Down and the Cooley Mountains in County Louth.

It will stretch the tourism trail from Newgrange right up through Dundalk, Carlingford, Omeath, Kilkeel, Warrenpoint and on to Newcastle. This is a game changer.