SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley said the people of South Armagh are entitled to look at Conor Murphy’s record as NI Roads Minister when making their decision on Westminster representation.

"It’s impossible to count the bends on the Newry-Crossmaglen road (B30) because none of it is really straight," said Mr Bradley.

"In the last election Sinn Fein complained bitterly that it took as long to drive from Newry to Crossmaglen as Newry to Belfast, in fact they called it discrimination. It now takes a bit longer and the road is famous for developing Ireland’s largest pothole, but Sinn Fein is strangely silent.

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"Anyone looking at our infrastructure might well conclude that Conor Murphy is an abstentionist Roads Minister. Our roads are frankly disastrous and the Roads Service is now admitting that it cannot reach its very modest resurfacing target of 30% of best practice. Even before the impact of the worst winter for a generation was known, Conor Murphy’s officials admitted under Assembly questioning that the average resurfacing interval for minor roads is now an incredible 187 years. That’s longer than many of the roads in South Armagh have existed."

He continued: "Conor Murphy will no doubt plead shortage of funding, but it is also the job of a minister to secure the necessary funding – other ministers have managed it. "Completion of the A1 will hopefully bring new investment to Newry but it will be difficult to push it out into South Armagh while the roads are in such a state."

(NS/CD)