SDLP leader Colum Eastwood challenged Boris Johnson over proposals to build a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland during this afternoon's PMQs.

The link has been in the headlines again this morning following the publication of an article on the subject by the Prime Minister.

Scotland's Transport Secretary said work to assess the feasibility of a fixed link between Northern Ireland and Scotland is not a priority for either nation.

Michael Matheson said he spoke with his UK counterpart Grant Shapps about UK plans to upgrade transport links - but added that devolved governments had not been consulted on Westminster’s Union Connectivity Review.

Johnson has previously promoted the idea of a bridge or tunnel connecting Larne in Northern Ireland to Portpatrick in Scotland, but experts have warned against this due to weather concerns likely to force closures for large parts of the year.

READ MORE: Plan for Scotland to Ireland tunnel 'undermines devolution' as nations have bigger priorities

Experts are also concerned that the link may need to cross Beaufort's Dyke - a trench containing more than 1m tonnes of unexploded munitions dumped in the sea.

Eastwood told the Commons: “The Prime Minister’s fantasy bridge to Northern Ireland could cost £33 billion. This while our road and rail networks have been absolutely decimated from decades of underinvestment.

“The Conservative Party did a grand total of 2399 votes at the last Assembly election, what mandate does he think he has to override the democratically elected people of Northern Ireland to impose a bridge that goes through miles of unexploded munitions and radioactive waste?”

Johnson responded: “Actually, if (Mr Eastwood) read the article I wrote this morning in the Daily Telegraph, he will have seen that the things that we’ve set out in the Hendy review I think will be of massive benefit to Northern Ireland, including upgrading the A75 which is the single biggest thing that people in Northern Ireland wanted by the way and which the Scottish nationalists, Scottish National Party, have totally to do.

“As well as better connections East-West within Northern Ireland, which we should be doing as well, as well as better connections North-South within the island of Ireland.

“It’s a fantastic union connectivity review, he should appreciate it, it’s the way forward and I’m amazed frankly at his negativity.”

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Speaking to Good Morning Scotland earlier, Matheson said: “It’s not a priority for Scotland, nor for Northern Ireland. I’ve just discussed the matter with Nichola Mallon, who is the minister for infrastructure in Northern Ireland last night, and she reiterated the point it is not a priority for Northern Ireland.

“It’s in my interest to have good transport connectivity with other parts of the UK. But it has to be taken forward in a planned, managed basis, recognising the distinctive nature of the decision-making process in Scotland, as it is in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, rather than it being dictated by ministers in London, who are very remote from our communities and don’t understand the nature of those communities.”