Thoughts on this?
Leo Varadkar has backed Boris Johnson’s proposal to build a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland, saying the idea shouldn’t be discounted immediately and is worth investigating.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Varadkar said: “Prime Minister Johnson is genuinely interested in taking a serious look at this idea of building a bridge between Antrim and Scotland.
“I know people dismiss it, but I don’t. It needs to be looked at. It needs to be at least examined.
“I’ve seen what the Chinese have got… 100km-long bridges. I don’t know if it is viable but I also don’t think it should be dismissed out of hand and I know he is particularly excited about that one.”
Varadkar said Ireland could help pay for the bridge, and made the comments when saying the state should partially fund at least three big infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland to boost industry.
Johnson originally proposed the plan in 2018 but in September this year leaked documents emerged that showed Johnson ordered UK government officials to explore the possibility of building the bridge.
He said building a 20-mile link between Larne and Stranraer would be “very good” and “would only cost about £15 billion”.
Two routes are commonly suggested, a 12-mile crossing that spans the shortest gap between the two countries – Mull of Kintyre in Scotland to Torr Head, Northern Ireland.
And, to the south, a 26-mile crossing from Portpatrick to Larne, which is seen as the more viable option.
Longer bridges have been built in other parts of the world including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, a 34-mile series of cable-stayed bridges, an undersea tunnel and four artificial islands, which opened in China last year.
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