Scottish Secretary Alister Jack says a bridge from Scotland is not viable but wants a tunnel instead.
He said a bridge would be closed for up to 100 days a year due to weather but a tunnel would be cheaper and overcome some of the engineering difficulties.
Mr Jack was speaking at a Holyrood Committee when he was asked about the bridge by SNP MSP Kenny Gibson.
Mr Jack said he could “clear up a few things”.
The Scottish Secretary said the bridge is a “euphemism for a link” and he said that link is a tunnel.
Mr Jack said it was at a discussion stage and could move to feasibility stage.
He said: “It could be 100 days a year a bridge wouldn’t operate adding: "A Tunnel between the south west of Scotland and Northern Ireland would be less expensive.”
He added: "It would remove the problems of Beaufort’s Dyke, the munitions dump.
He said it would be 22 miles long the same as the Channel Tunnel and said there are longer tunnels built in China.
The bridge has been estimated to cost £20m and Scottish Government politicians have said it would be better giving the cash to the devolved government’s in Scotland and Northern Ireland to spend on other priorities.
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