Narrow Water: Micheál Martin launches tender to build bridge

The bridge will span a stretch of water from outside the town of Warrenpoint to outside Omeath village

The Irish government has begun a tender process to build a new cross-border bridge at Narrow Water at the mouth of Carlingford Lough.

The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin visited Warrenpoint on Friday to launch the project which will link County Down and County Louth.

He hailed it as an "important and symbolic project for the north-east".

A new bridge at Narrow Water has been discussed for decades but was hit by a series of delays and funding problems.

Although final costings will not be known until the conclusion of the tender process next year, the Irish government has already allocated €3m (£2.6m) from its Shared Island Fund for the construction.

The proposed 280m (300 yd) crossing will have segregated car, cycle and pedestrian lanes and it will be able to open to allow tall boats to pass through to Newry Canal.

The cable-stayed structure will connect the A2 Warrenpoint dual carriageway, in Northern Ireland, with the road to the County Louth village of Omeath, in the Republic of Ireland.

The chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Michael Savage, described the launch of the tendering process as a "momentous step forward".

Mr Savage added that local residents could look forward to "new recreation and active travel opportunities and benefit from further enhancement of the area's rich tourism offering".

The Narrow Water bridge would link Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

The official visit to Narrow Water to launch the tender process is likely to be one of Mr Martin's last trips to Northern Ireland as taoiseach before he hands over to Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar in December as part of their coalition pact.

The outgoing taoiseach said the infrastructure would bring "significant tourism and economic benefits" to the area.

"This is an important and symbolic project for the north-east, directly connecting the Cooley Peninsula to coastal County Down, and a project with strong support from communities on both sides of the border," Mr Martin said.

"Today's announcement is an important next step in the delivery of this long-awaited project and another example of the Shared Island Fund in action."

In a previous attempt to build the bridge, planning permission was granted in 2012 for a plan that aimed to open the bridge by 2015.

However, the construction cost at that time was said to be "considerably higher" than expected and the project was put on hold in 2013.

But then in 2020, the Irish government formally committed to investing in the build when it signed up to Stormont's New Decade New Approach Agreement.

At the scene - BBC News NI South East reporter Cormac Campbell

Micheál Martin met local representatives at Narrow Water, outside Warrenpoint, on Friday morning

The taoiseach planning to visit Warrenpoint before the end of his term in office was among the worst kept secrets in politics.

Since launching the Shared Island Fund, he has made repeated references to the scheme and its benefits for the south Down and north Louth regions.

On arrival at Narrow Water, Mr Martin was greeted by political representatives from both sides of the border.

The visit was short, consisting of a photo call and a brief announcement confirming that the project - more than 50 years in the making- is out for tender.

The cavalcade then moved the short distance to InterTrade Ireland in Newry where a press conference outlining the nuts and bolts of the bridge build took place.

The taoiseach also spoke about other Shared Island projects, including the Ulster Canal, before the floor was opened for questions.

The Irish Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O'Brien paid tribute to the work of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Louth County Council for getting the plan to the tendering stage.

"This is a huge day for communities in Cooley, Warrenpoint and Newry. Narrow Water Bridge has been talked about for decades, and is now finally becoming a reality, thanks to the work of local community groups, the two councils and the Shared Island Fund," he said.

Louth County Council's chief executive Joan Martin said the bridge would "deliver an unprecedented boost to the north-east region as a whole".

"This project has long been a strategic priority, improving access, strengthening north-south links and deepening connections between communities on both sides of the border," she added.