Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish everybody a happy new year.

I welcome the Minister. This matter relates to Four Masters Bridge and Lennox Bridge which connect Kinlough in north County Leitrim to Bundoran and Ballyshannon in County Donegal. Lennox Bridge is a single lane bridge that has been in place for many years. It is cracked and the most recent head-on collision on it happened last weekend. On this occasion there were relatively minor injuries, but it is one of the worst roads in the country. Urgent action by the Government is required to upgrade it to a two lane bridge and make it safe.

Four Masters Bridge is further downstream on the River Drowse which separates the two counties. It was badly damaged by the recent flooding and is unsafe. It is a protected structure and the road is closed. Approximately 4,000 crossings take place each day on Lennox Bridge as members of the local communities go about their daily business in Ballyshannon and Bundoran in doing the shopping, commuting to schools and engaging in other administrative tasks. Following the closure of Four Masters Bridge, the number of crossings has increased. However, as I have illustrated, accidents occur frequently and, sadly, a fatal accident may not be far away. As we witnessed in Leenane, County Mayo, these are old bridges that could be swept away in future flooding. This could cut the communities in question off completely.

I am not aware of plans for the immediate upgrade of the two bridges. I have contacted the managers of Donegal and Leitrim County Councils in the hope they will urgently petition the Minister for immediate funds and support in this regard. It is a critical issue in this part of the country, not least in the context of the tourism industry. The Drowse fishery is important. I spoke to the owner and he has said this time of year is as crucial to this part of the country as 12 July is to some in Northern Ireland in terms of tourism revenue. People are trying to catch the first salmon of the season which has yet to be caught.

When there are crises in this country, whether they are related to refugees, flooding, homelessness and so on, regardless of the financial constraints on Departments, the Government can come up with funds when it is forced to do so. All of these causes are worthy of Government support and moneys can always be found to attempt to solve these difficulties, but the communities of north Leitrim and south Donegal are no less deserving. These two bridges have been left to the elements for too long. The integrity of Four Masters Bridge has been seriously damaged and it is closed, while Lennox Bridge is a single-lane, accident prone crossing point. I appeal to the Minister to do all he can to liaise with both councils to come up with an urgent remedy for both crossings.