The SDLP has hit out at Sinn Fein's Chris Hazzard after he excluded the Narrow Water bridge project at the last Executive.

South Down MLA Sinead Bradley is continuing to campaign that the project goes ahead.

She said: "I was bitterly disappointed, however, during the last Executive when Chris Hazzard excluded the project from his priorities for funding. That decision was then compounded when there was no safeguard put in place to protect planning permission for the project which was due to expire shortly after he left office.

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"Since that time I have held a series of meetings with senior officials from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and Louth County Council to ensure the complex Planning Permission would not be allowed to lapse.

"I am pleased to see the start of substantial works taking place on the North side of the site which will include the placement of three deep culverts. It is anticipated this work will take three to four weeks. I can also report that I have been assured the planning permission has not been compromised.

"In recent weeks I have continued to hold high level discussions around the profile of the project, particularly in the context of Brexit. I've had discussions with An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the Permanent Secretary within the Department for Infrastructure. I also requested that DfI consider contributing, in some way, to the ongoing site works as an expression of a renewed commitment to the project."

(CD/LM)