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СпутникиРНSpaceXРоскосмосNASA"I can assure you, she put in a request and it was declined."
A Stormont Sinn Fein minister has been slammed for being "unprofessional" by allegedly refusing to meet the DUP deputy leader over a £300m bridge project.
Concerns were raised on the Strangford Lough campaign for a potential link between two council areas on the Ards peninsula.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council heard Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Minister Liz Kimmins "declined" to meet MLA Michelle McIlveen, but had given time to discuss the project with her own party colleagues.
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In chambers, Rowallane DUP councillor Callum Bowsie said: "The minister hasn't given a commitment for the study into the viability of a Strangford bridge.
"I am disappointed that the minister is refusing to meet with the DUP on this issue, but has met with her Sinn Fein colleagues.
"I think it is very unprofessional of a government minister to meet with the Sinn Fein MP for south Down (Chris Hazzard) who doesn't represent the area the bridge would be in. And has refused to meet with the DUP MLA who represents the area, Michelle McIlveen who launched this campaign in the beginning of the year."
Two local councils (NMDDC and Ards and North Down) on either side of the lough have now backed the ambitious project in separate motions.
Currently a car ferry provides a link across Strangford Lough's half a mile waters with the only other option for the public to drive about 50miles around the Ards peninsula to get to the other side.
Councillor Bowsie added: "The minister has also met with the Sinn Fein councillors for the Downpatrick side, but will not meet with the DUP councillors for the Ards side.
"I think if we can build a bridge from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland (Narrow Water) we can build one across Strangford Lough."
A letter from the DfI minister was presented to the chamber confirming the bridge could be considered on the new Eastern Transport Plan (ETP) 2035.
But, according to the department's website, the ETP has been unable to secure funding due to the Executive operating on single year budgets.
Downpatrick Sinn Fein councillor Oonagh Hanlon responded: "We are not privy to requests going into the private (DfI) office, so I think it is a bit unfair to be calling out in public that a meeting has been declined, when we don't really know whether they have or not.
"If people aren't here to defend their position, then I think that is very unfair."
However, the DUP councillor doubled down, saying: "I think it is well known that I work closely with Michelle McIlveen and have worked in her office for a number of years.
"I can assure you, she put in a request and it was declined."
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