The Narrow Water remained on the Assembly’s agenda this week with the Minister for Finance Sammy Wilson surmising SEUPB’s rationale for not short listing the project. “One of the factors would have been the deliverability and the ability to spend the money within the time,” he said. “I think that one of the factors concerned whether the money could be spent within the time. That is critical because the one thing we do not want to do is allocate money to a project and find it cannot be spent.” Minister Wilson’s response followed a question from south Down MLA Caitriona Ruane (SF) who had asked for an update on Louth Co Council’s appeal of the February decision. Following Monday’s Stormont sitting south Down MLA Sean Rogers (SDLP) said he would be questioning the advice given to SEUPB on the matter. “I am currently pursuing the differences between the qualifications of those that provided advice to SEUPB and the expertise of those qualified engineers that are convinced the project could be completed well in advance of the stated 2015 deadline,” he said. I and many thousands of others on each side of Carlingford Lough would justifiably feel very annoyed if SEUPB reached a decision based on information that is so obviously open to challenge – the current slump in the construction industry should be an opportunity to finish this project ahead of time.
Newry Reporter
23rd May 2012
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