Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Féin's McCreesh to oversee merging of Newry & Mourne and Down District Council

Published: 26 June, 2009

Newly appointed Sinn Fein Council group leader Jimmy Mc Creesh has spoken of his commitment to representing the Newry and Mourne area on the Transition Committee established to oversee the merging of Newry and Mourne District Council with Down District Council.

Fews Councillor Mc Creesh, one of three Newry and Mourne Sinn Fein representatives on the body, revealed that the best interests of the area would be tenaciously defended by the Sinn Fein presence on the body. He noted that the body was of particular importance given that the new council will be the third biggest out of the eleven new councils. He was speaking after taken up his position on the newly established Transition committee.

Mc Creesh stated that the body meets once a month and that he was relishing the prospect of ensuring that this area has its best interests safe guarded.

He stated that whilst the Transition Committee was still in relative infancy, Sinn Fein representatives on the body were already taken pro-active measures to serve the best interests of their constituents. He added that this commitment would continue until the inception of the new council.

Mc Creesh added "Along with my party colleagues Charlie Casey and Mick Murphy, I intend to represent this area to the best of my ability. We must ensure that this area is given the opportunity to flourish and develop under the new council structures. The geographical spread of our representatives will ensure that every inch of the Newry and Mourne area will have their rights championed. Working in tandem with two other party colleagues from Down District Council the Sinn Fein representation on this body will ensure that this new council is built on the centre stone of equality and justice. Sinn Fein has the largest representation of all the parties on the committee and we will use that to advance our equality agenda, whilst at the same time ensuring that this area and its best interest are defended."

Mc Creesh noted that issues such as the name of the new council remained outstanding, but noted that any name must encompass and represent South Armagh as well as Newry City and South Down. He noted that any attempt to marginalise or sideline any area of Newry and Mourne would be repelled by the strong Sinn Fein presence on the body.

He concluded by stating that the people of Newry and Mourne can rest assured that the Sinn Fein representation has the areas best interests foremost in their strategic work programme and that they will defend the area unstintingly from Crossmaglen to Warrenpoint.