Newry/Armagh - Conor Murphy MP
CONOR MURPHY MP MLA made history in 2005 when he became the first Irish Republican to be elected as MP for Newry / Armagh. Tacaíonn Conor Murphy le próiseas na síochána agus straitéis Shinn Féin fa choinne Éire Aontaithe.
A senior member of Sinn Féin, he has decades of experience as an elected representative in the area. In1998, after serving as a Newry and Mourne Councillor for eight years, he was elected to the Assembly where he chaired the Assembly Procedures committee, was the Sinn Féin Chief Whip and also held the position of Group Leader of the MLA team. At various times he has been Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education, Equality and International Affairs.
Conor was re-elected to the Assembly in 2003 and 2007. He is the current Minister for Regional Development in the Executive – having overseen the construction of the new Newry Train Station, A1 dual carriageway from Newry to Belfast and has advanced the plan for the Southern Relief Road in this role.
He has been a key member of the Sinn Féin negotiating team with particular responsibility for institutional issues and represented the Party at the Leeds Castle, St Andrew’s negotiations and the most recent negotiations with the DUP at Hillsborough which secured the transfer of Policing & Justice.
Since 1998 the Newry and Armagh MP has been particularly involved in highlighting the issues of demilitarisation and collusion.
A married family man, who has been a lifelong Camlough resident, Conor has a deep passion for the GAA and is an active member of his local GAA Club. He has been involved in coaching underage football at Shane O’Neill’s CLG, Camlough for many years and plays an active role in community life in the area, working with the various Community Regeneration, Community Development and Féile Festival Committees.
Conor was formerly Chairperson of the Bunscoil an Iúir Board of Governors. He is a member of Féile Chamlocha Festival Committee and is closely involved with the Newry City FairTrade Group. Conor is a former political prisoner. He sits on the Newry and Armagh Sinn Féin governing body, the Dáil Ceantair, and is a member of the Steele/McCreesh Sinn Féin Cumann in his home village.
The Sinn Féin MP has gained great respect from all quarters for his commitment to serving all communities. He has endeavored to see local democracy strengthened and brought closer to people in a meaningful, effective and efficient way.
He has led the way in working with communities across the Newry and Armagh area in order to bring about change and ensure that the needs and concerns of people and communities are highlighted and addressed.