Cable row 'resolution in sight'

The Hibernia North Transatlantic cable is located 22 miles off the north coast

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said he "sees a resolution" to the Project Kelvin row.

The landing site for the transatlantic cable is to be built at Coleraine, but politicians in Londonderry have claimed it was originally planned for the city.

On Tuesday Mr McGuinness met Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster to argue that the "telehouse" should be in Derry.

He said Ms Foster is giving the issue "urgent consideration", and he believed "a way through has been found".

"Behind the scenes a lot of work has been taking place," he said.

"I have been involved in meetings with the first minister, with Arlene Foster, and with the department of the Taoiseach.

"As a result of all of that I'm greatly encouraged that we will find a way through and we will find a resolution to all of this shortly."

The Foyle MP Mark Durkan said "more likely than not" the telehouse will now be located in Derry.

"I believe that the company, Hibernia Atlantic, is minded after all the things they've heard that maybe returning to the original intended location of Derry is good.

"There is a contract in place, so they would have to apply to make that change and of course that has to be approved by the project board and the two departments," he said.

�50,000 donation

On Monday, Derry businessman Philip O'Doherty donated �50,000 to a possible legal review of a decision to site the telehouse at Coleraine.

The telehouse will interconnect with NI's existing telecoms infrastructure as well as that of the Irish Republic.

The project to connect Northern Ireland with the Hibernia North Transatlantic cable, located 22 miles off the north coast, will improve the speed and extent to which firms can trade information with the rest of the world.

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