Member's statement: Narrow Water Bridge
Member's statement by Mrs Sinéad Ennis on .
- MLA
- Mrs Sinéad Ennis
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 14 May 2024
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Narrow Water Bridge
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4489566
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I, too, want to reflect on the announcement yesterday of the awarding of the contract to build Narrow Water bridge. It definitely feels like a watershed moment for the people of South Down and those who live in the Carlingford lough region, because, of course, it is a cross-border project. The people whom I represent have waited decades for that transformative project to finally get off the ground, and it really feels like we are at that point now. We have waited so long and have persevered to have the project realised because we know that it is more than just an infrastructure project. Narrow Water bridge, as I have said before, is key to unlocking the huge tourism and economic potential that we have in South Down and across the Carlingford lough region. I pay tribute to the community groups and politicians from across the spectrum who have kept faith with the project, particularly my Sinn Féin colleagues on both sides of the lough, who have kept the project firmly on the agenda of both Governments over the decades. However, it is the people across South Down and those of Warrenpoint and of Cooley in County Louth who have really pushed the project and made us strive to get to where we are today: on the cusp of the project actually breaking ground. We look forward to seeing the Narrow Water bridge progress at pace, but, of course, building the bridge is just the starting point. The work does not end there. Once we have the bridge in place, we need to capitalise on the economic and tourism potential that it will bring. The bridge will open up the entire east border region. I and my Sinn Féin colleagues in County Louth will make sure that we are in place and ready to capitalise on all the positives that will come from the Narrow Water bridge. Again, I pay tribute to everybody who has put their shoulder to the wheel and got us to where we are today. We look forward to seeing boots on the ground and work finally beginning at Narrow Water.
355 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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