Vol. 413 No. 1
48 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the progress which has been made with the British authorities to have roads in the Pettigo area of County Armagh reopened; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Following the meeting which I had with Deputy Mary Coughlan and a deputation from the Pettigo area of County Donegal last May, the full details of the situation at Tullyvogey, Letter Bridge and the Pettigo-Lettercran road were conveyed to the British authorities, together with proposals for measures such as footbridges which might help to alleviate the problem. I have urged that these proposals be given the most sympathetic consideration so as to minimise the inconvenience which closed roads are causing to the local community.
The British authorities have indicated that a considerable amount of preliminary work on the footbridge proposals has been carried out, but that there are major problems involving land acquisition, rights-of-way and other legal issues. I am pressing the British authorities to give these matters their most urgent attention with a view to action being taken on the proposals at the earliest possible date.
With regard to the general issue of reopening closed roads, I am assured that the British authorities are keeping the situation under constant review but that progress in this regard has been inhibited by security considerations. I will continue to argue, as I have done in the past, that road closures should only be maintained where the security requirements clearly outweigh the inconvenience to the local community.
