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Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said she is happy to support efforts to regenerate the Newry canal but has still to get sight of a letter sent to her department in connection with the suggested establishment of a multi-agency task force for the project.
The question was put by MLA Justin McNulty, who highlighted the work of a joint working group involving Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Mr McNulty thanked the Minister for her statement and welcomed progress outlined on major waterways projects, including the Ulster canal project which has now moved to phase 3. He told the Assembly that the joint working group set up to prioritise the regeneration of the Newry canal had agreed earlier this month to write to the Minister and the Minister in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to seek the establishment of a multi-agency task force to help drive forward the project.
He asked: "Will you commit to throwing your full support and that of your Department behind that effort by backing the establishment of the task force and by working proactively with local councils and partners, including the Department of the Taoiseach's Shared Island unit, to realise finally the enormous economic, tourism and environmental potential of the Newry canal?"
Kimmins said: "Where do I start? The Member will know that, when I was on the council, we championed the need to further enhance and, indeed, maximise the potential of the Newry canal. With the Newry city park moving closer to construction and other work happening in the area, there is a real opportunity for us to do that. One of the things that we did when I was on the council was to create that linkage between ABC Borough Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, because we recognised that regeneration of the canal concerns both council areas.
"The letter has not come to me directly yet. It may be with officials at this time. I will certainly look out for it, because I am happy to get behind anything that we can do to support the project."
