South Down - Chris Hazzard

Born and raised on the outskirts of Drumaness in Co Down, Chris is the eldest of 4 children and was educated at Our Lady & St Patrick’s College, Knock, before moving on to Queens University Belfast, where he is currently finishing his Doctorate in International Studies & Political Philosophy.

At just 27, his co-option will see him become the youngest MLA in the north.

As someone who grew up with a strong affiliation to the GAA, and indeed still takes a keen interest in his local club, Chris is very proud of his involvement with the GAA, and the ongoing work that the organisation is carrying out across the county to revive traditional cultural activities.

He is also fully aware of the challenges facing many isolated rural communities across South Down, and feels that institutions such as the GAA can continue to play a leading role in sustaining a vital sense of identity and promoting community development.

Having joined his local Sinn Féin cumann as a teenager, Chris has been part of a remarkable growth in Republican politics across the county in the last decade. Involved in a continuous push to better the lives of all people living in South Down, he takes special pride in his role as a community activist on the ground in Drumaness, Ballynahinch and Loughinisland.

An outspoken critic of the decades of neglect suffered by local communities under foreign direct rule ministers, Chris is determined to champion the needs of local people at the assembly. Working alongside party colleagues in Leinster House and the European Parliament in Brussels, he will campaign fervently to bring equality to those who have previously been marginalised.

Chris is the spokeperson on Education and sits on both the Education and Argirculture and Rural Development committees at Stromont.