Fine Gael TD for Louth, Peter Fitzpatrick, has described Fianna Fáíl Leader, Michéal Martin, as "having some nerve for blaming this Government for the withdrawal of funding by the EU for the Narrow Water Bridge project".

Mr Fitzpatrick said: "This Government has actively engaged with the Northern Ireland Assembly and the EU in order to secure the necessary funding to construct the Narrow Water Bridge. We committed €3.9 million in funding last January to kick-start this project, in addition to the funding from the Special EU Programme Body (SEUPB) and an agreed contribution from the Northern Ireland Executive.

-- Advertisement --

"However, the original estimate for the construction of this project was provided by the local authority under the last Fianna Fáíl-led Government, which we now know fell way short of what it would actually cost to make this project a reality.

"The current Irish Government agreed that it would be willing to help address the shortfall in funding for the Narrow Water Bridge, but this depended entirely on matching contributions from the Northern Ireland Executive and others. These commitments have not as yet been forthcoming."

(CD/JP)