Gildernew celebrates completion of £841,000 Carlingford cross-border initiative

Rural Development Minister, Michelle Gildernew MP MLA, has officially opened the newly refurbished Victoria Lock Gates outside Newry, County Down.

The project is one element of the Newry and Mourne, and Louth Joint Council Carlingford Lough project. The automation and refurbishment of the lock gates is one of seven cross-border infrastructure projects included in the £841,000 Carlingford initiative which secured grant aid monies totalling £673,000, part funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Northern Ireland) and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Republic of Ireland) through the EU INTERREG IIIA Programme 2000 – 2006. The balance of the funding was input by both Newry & Mourne District Council and Louth County Council.

Opening the project at a reception on the cruise ship ‘MV Balmoral’ on Carlingford Lough, Rural Development Minister, Michelle Gildernew, said: “This is my first engagement, as Minister, at an Interreg event for which my department, along with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and their colleagues in Border Action, are responsible for both the funding and overseeing the implementation of this hugely successful project.

“This project is a great example of cross-border partnership in action and it is to both councils’ credit, that they saw and grasped an opportunity to work on a partnership basis to develop the rich tourism potential of the Carlingford Lough area. I am very proud to be associated with this joint council rural initiative, which is a flagship project for the Interreg IIIA Measure 1.4 Programme. It is an excellent example of EU monies making a real difference at a local level and providing a lasting legacy of improvements within this rural region.”

Speaking on behalf of the Partner Councils, Mayor of Newry & Mourne District Council, Councillor Michael Carr commented : “The original launch of this Initiative back in June 2005 had been one of my first engagements as Deputy Mayor and now two years on with my term as Mayor about to come to an end, I was delighted to acknowledge the completion of yet another successful project that had been undertaken jointly by both councils, each of whom recognise the importance of local partnership.”

Commenting on the Initiative, Chairman of Louth County Council, Councillor Jim Lennon stated that, ‘We in Louth were delighted to avail of the funding under the Interreg IIIA programme in partnership with our colleagues in Newry and Mourne. The funding has allowed us improve key pieces of the Lough infrastructure which I have no doubt will be of benefit to the increasing numbers of visitors to the Carlingford Lough Area both by sea and land.” The Chairman further added that he looked forward to both Councils continuing to work together on such initiatives in the future.

Also speaking at the official ceremony, Irish Foreign Minister, Mr Dermot Ahern TD, said: “Both councils had always taken a great pride in the protection and preservation of Carlingford Lough” and he added: “I pay great tribute to the long history of partnership and linkages between both local authorities and wish you continued success in the joint future marketing of the tremendous natural asset that you both share.”

The completion of this initiative marks the beginning of a long-term strategy of encouraging greater boating and marine leisure activity on Carlingford Lough.

Notes to Editors:

1. Under the joint councils initiative, seven key infrastructure projects were undertaken. The three projects undertaken by Louth County Council, included an upgrade to ‘Omeath Pier’ in relation to works on the hand rails and general health & safety aspects as well as carrying out major structural improvements to ‘Greer’s Quay’. Significant upgrade works were also carried out to both Piers at Carlingford Harbour.
2. Capital projects carried out by Newry & Mourne District Council, included the ‘Automation of the Lock Gates’ at Victoria Lock to enable the increased use of the canal by leisure craft, the ‘Installation of Navigational Buoys’ in the Newry River from Narrow Water to Victoria Lock to provide safe navigation for vessels, and the provision of a slipway and new mooring jetty at Rostrevor. This last scheme still at an implementation stage and aiming for completion by November 2007.
3. Also under the initiative, the project partner councils put in place ‘Tourism Interpretative Panels’ at 12 locations along the lough shores on both sides of the border, as well as employing a ‘Project Co-ordinator’ to implement the schemes and promote and market the region.
4. Those interested in finding out more of what Carlingford Lough has to offer, are asked to Contact either Newry & Mourne Tourism Office (028 3031 3173) or Louth County Council (00353 42 9353116) .
5. The Special European Union Programme Body (SEUPB) has overall responsibility for the INTERREG IIIA Programme, which is designed to support cross-border co-operation, social cohesion and economic development between the regions of the European Union. The Ireland/Northern Ireland INTERREG IIIA Programme covers all of Northern Ireland and the six border counties of Ireland, (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo).
6. The Rural Development Measure (1.4) of the INTERREG IIIA Programme, is managed jointly by Department of Agriculture and Regional Development and Border Action. The Measure is worth €14 million and 14 different cross border partnerships have benefited. The Measure aims to promote the economic and social development of rural dwellers through integrated local area based development strategies and projects that will provide sustainable benefits on a cross-border basis.
7. All media queries to DARD Press Office, tel: 028 9052 4619.