Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Under the Fresh Start Agreement, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Government agreed to undertake a review of the proposed Narrow Water Bridge project with a view to identifying options for its future development, for consideration by the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). The current status of the project is that, as part of the ongoing work by both administrations on the options review, a series of discussions with stakeholders have been held by officials of my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern with stakeholders, most recently on 20 February 2017 in Newry, Co. Down.  Following these discussions, I understand that it is intended that the North South Ministerial Council will consider a paper on the options for the project, taking account of key objectives, at its next meeting in Transport sectorial format. The position in relation to planning permission for the bridge at Narrow Water as previously proposed is a matter for the relevant authorities and my Department has no role in that.