Sinn Féin can take Newry/Armagh
BY CAÍTLIN DOHERTY
In the Sinn Féin Camough office the phone hasn't stopped ringing. Conor Murphy takes call after call. The representative of the Alzheimer Society in Newry has called to asked him to make submissions to the health minister on their behalf because of their lack of funding. A meeting is arranged. A few minutes earlier he contacted the Housing Executive and dealt with two planning applications. Earlier that day, he was at Stormont preparing for the High Court case he has taken about the display of flags.
|
Conor Murphy
Currently Sinn Féin's Assembly spokesperson on equality, Conor Murphy has played a key role in recent negotiations and has actively campaigned for demilitarisation and economic investment in the Newry/Armagh region.
Conor's republican track record is impressive. It was during the Hunger Strikes that he first got involved in republican politics, campaigning on behalf of the anti-H Block/Armagh candidates. He was then imprisoned from 1981 to 1983.
It is, however, at a local level that his commitment to serving the people of Newry/Armagh is most evident. Educated at St Colman's College, he went on to graduate from both the University of Ulster and Queen's University. He was chair of the Board of Governors of Newry Bunscoil and has always played a major role in the annual Féile Camloch and other community events in the area.
A councillor for the Fews District, Conor was the first ever Sinn Féin chair of the Council's Finance and Personnel Committee. He was leader of the Sinn Féin group in the Council before being elected to the Assembly.
Conor's tireless work and commitment at the busy constituency office in Newry Town and at Stormont are proof of what he can achieve for the people of Newry/Armagh.
|
As the Westminster election approaches, there is an air of excitement in the bright centre, which smells of fresh paint. While Conor deals with his constituents, activists are working on the first floor, some preparing letters while others gather around a computer. Minutes later, the door swings open and three men carrying boxes of election leaflets and posters appear.
There is no doubt in the minds of those working behind the scenes that this election will be decisive for the future of the area. ``For the first time, we stand a real chance of winning the seat,'' says Conor Murphy.
``Everyone has a role to play in this election, no matter their age, background or where they come from. We are always looking for people to volunteer to canvass, give leaflets out and do other important jobs.
``But even if someone doesn't want to get involved at that level, they can help Sinn Féin in other ways. They can talk to their family, friends and people at work and remind them of how important it is that everyone makes the effort to come out and cast their vote.
``Every single vote counts. Even if you convince three people to vote for Sinn Féin on the basis of the party's track record in the area, or remind them that their vote is decisive, you are contributing in a big way.''
The track record of Sinn Féin in the area is expected to be one of the decisive factors. The local Sinn Féin team is among the most active and dedicated in the Six Counties. Proof of this is the network of advice centres across the constituency. Three full-time offices in Newry, Camough and Armagh city and two part-time centres in Crossmaglen and Keady are staffed not only by local Sinn Féin councillors but also by a highly trained workforce skilled in advice work.
Conor Murphy's priorities are the issues he has already been pursuing in recent months. Ending years of economic neglect in both the Newry and Armagh city areas is top of this agenda.
``Armagh city is dying on its feet,'' he says. ``In Newry, the economic infrastructure is being developed in a counter-productive way. Newry depends on the retail sector and call-centres, which are very short term operations and are low paid. The economy also centres on the textiles industry, which is in sharp decline. The recent closures of Adria and MKF Plastics and the impact on the local community and economy are perfect examples of where things are going wrong.
``This border area should be one of the most developed on the island. Yet the Industrial Development Board has the worst track record of investment in the area. It is starving Newry/Armagh and it is time that the economic discrimination that has plagued the area for so many years comes to an end.''
other priority for Murphy is to lobby for the development of cross-border cooperation, specially in the fields of health and tourism.
``The review into the services provided by the hospitals on both sides of the border show that cooperation is a necessity,'' he says. ``With hospitals in Monaghan, Dundalk and Newry so close to each other, it is in the interest of patients and the general population, who would benefit from improved health care provision were the hospitals north and south working more closely together.''
Conor Murphy also argues that efforts to promote the tourism potential of Newry/Armagh should be linked to those carried out to attract visitors to Louth and Monaghan.
Finally, demilitarisation is a top priority. ``The continuing harassment and provocation in South Armagh is beyond belief,'' says Conor Murphy. He has personally lobbied Tony Blair on the issue on two occasions during negotiations at Hillsborough Castle.
``The attitude of the British Army and the RUC when the area was hit with foot and mouth proves their true agenda,'' he says. ``Despite the fact that everyone in the North is rallying together and life has virtually been put on hold in many areas, the British Army continues to patrol across farms, continues to drop foot patrols in fields and totally ignore the precautions recommended to help in preventing the spread of the disease, adding to the burden of worry of South Armagh farmers.''
|
Conor Murphy
Currently Sinn Féin's Assembly spokesperson on equality, Conor Murphy has played a key role in recent negotiations and has actively campaigned for demilitarisation and economic investment in the Newry/Armagh region.
Conor's republican track record is impressive. It was during the Hunger Strikes that he first got involved in republican politics, campaigning on behalf of the anti-H Block/Armagh candidates. He was then imprisoned from 1981 to 1983.
It is, however, at a local level that his commitment to serving the people of Newry/Armagh is most evident. Educated at St Colman's College, he went on to graduate from both the University of Ulster and Queen's University. He was chair of the Board of Governors of Newry Bunscoil and has always played a major role in the annual Féile Camloch and other community events in the area.
A councillor for the Fews District, Conor was the first ever Sinn Féin chair of the Council's Finance and Personnel Committee. He was leader of the Sinn Féin group in the Council before being elected to the Assembly.
Conor's tireless work and commitment at the busy constituency office in Newry Town and at Stormont are proof of what he can achieve for the people of Newry/Armagh.
|
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)