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LAST UPDATE | 4 Jun 2024
CONSTRUCTION IS COMMENCING on a long-awaited bridge linking Co Louth with Co Down.
The Narrow Water Bridge is set to connect Cornamucklagh near Omeath in Co Louth with Narrow Water near Warrenpoint in Co Down.
The bridge will span 195 metres and accommodate vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians, and will be able to open to allow the passage of ships through and on to the Newry Canal.
Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister for Heritage Malcolm Noonan, as well as Northern Ireland’s Minister for Infrastructure John O’Dowd, are due to visit the site today.
€102 million euro, plus VAT, has been allocated from the Shared Ireland Fund to go towards the project.
The Taoiseach said that the bridge would be a “game-changer for commerce, daily life and tourism in this part of our shared island”.
“The Shared Island Unit was set up by the coalition for this very reason – to bring about visionary projects for the whole island that had long been sought after but not yet realised,” Harris said.
“I want to pay tribute to the communities and politicians from all parties and none in both Ireland and Northern Ireland who campaigned for a Narrow Water Bridge for decades.”
Speaking in Omeath, he said that he thinks “every single cent” spent will be a “really positive investment”.
I don’t think any one of us can fully capture the benefits that this is going to bring, the benefits in terms of connectedness, in terms of communities wanting to engage, but also the really practical benefit, and it is the hugely economic benefits that we’re going to see from this in terms of tourism.
“There is so much untapped potential in this region of this island and this bridge is going to play a very important role.”
Government announces commencement of construction of the Narrow Water Bridge.
— MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) June 4, 2024
The 195 metre cable-stayed bridge will connect Cornamucklagh near Omeath, Co Louth with Narrow Water near Warrenpoint, Co. Down.
👉https://t.co/plqLnqQlrd pic.twitter.com/gYIrbZV9U6
Similarly, the Tánaiste described the project as a “clear physical manifestation of the philosophy underpinning Shared Island”.
He said that the bridge can be delivered “on time and in budget”.
The bridge’s developer, BAM, is also building the National Children’s Hospital in Dublin, a project that has suffered from delays and spiralling costs for years.
Harris and Martin said there are “frustrations” in Government about the National Children’s Hospital, but both stressed the need for the tendering process to be separate to politics, and said they have confidence in Louth County Council to oversee the bridge project.
Martin said: “There’s set systems for the council to oversee the project.
“(BAM) have used the last three weeks very effectively, in terms of getting started with the dry weather, so I think we can get this project done on time and within budget.”
Harris said: “I think they’re two very separate and distinct projects. I think it is a statement of fact that there is frustration on the part of the Government and on the part of the people of Ireland in relation to some aspects in terms of the completion of a hospital that is now 92% complete.
It embodies our ambition for reconciliation, a closer relationship between North and South, and progress.
“Today is the realisation of a vision long shared across this stretch of water, delivering on the desire of both communities to reach out, to connect and to grow together,” the Tánaiste added.
He said that it “will be an incredible catalyst for generations to come in terms of economics, tourism, biodiversity, greenways, you name it”.
Additional reporting by Press Association
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Another week of all mouth and no action. These EU leaders really are sleepwalking into economic meltdown. If their pledge to do “everything we can” involves more public spending cuts and very little stimulus, it won’t be long before were looking at a complete break-up of the Eurozone.
I’m sick of hearing about this, WHY don’t they just sort out the mess. Four years on and still no progress. Stupid politicians. I’m under the impression they just want people to live in Austerity.
Without a central bank willing to print money, the crisis will get worse.
Those people are supposedly the brains of the world surrounded by supposedly top notch advisors and yet 4 years on no solution were found. Is that a joke!!!!
#EuropeShamble
Wouldn’t be depending on Italy to save the Euro….sure they’re broke as much as we are.
That is exactly the point. But the current mechanisms of the Spanish bailout require Italy to borrow money on the bond market at 5-6% interest and lend to Spanish banks at 3%. Italy is nearly bust and it is required to put money into Spanish banks at a loss. You could not make this stuff up!
The Eurozone is fundamentally flawed, has been from the start. A currency union is not feasible while retaining the level of sovereignty that the EU national states enjoy. Further integrations are the only way of saving the Euro and this was proven with the market reaction when the Eurozone countries pledged to move forward with the integration of banking sector. But even this step (belated and weak in the context of current crisis) was put on the long finger and there are no signs of political appetite for political integration. In fact the entrenchment and political bickering took place instead. In this arrangement, the ECB is powerless because it is not backed by a power of taxation and does not have (seemingly) unlimited balance sheet. This is why ECB has to be careful with the assets it is taking as collateral. This simple truth has been pointed out in the EU Parliament (by Nigel Farage, who else). In case of Greek default or exit, the ECB will have a 400b hole in the balance sheet and the only way to avoid insolvency will be to have a cash call from member states (which include Ireland, Portugal, Italy and Spain). This reality (rather than its mandate which can be walked over as Europe has a tradition of not honoring its own rules) is preventing the ECB from engaging in a massive scale government bond purchases. The only feasible way out are Eurobonds but the Germans, with the negative interest on their sovereign bonds) is very unlikely to agree to this move without further political integration.
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