On Monday the 20th February, the Newry Chamber facilitated a specially convened Q&A panel discussion in the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre, Newry with three of our local MLA candidates including Conor Murphy (Sinn Fein), Justin McNulty (SDLP) & Emmet Crossan (CISTA). The evening started off with President, Michael McKeown welcoming the candidates as well as the audience consisting primarily of the business community and Dr. Conor Patterson who chaired the session.
With the clock ticking and the election fast approaching, this was a unique opportunity for the people who represent the local businesses to hear directly from the people who are going to represent them in Stormont. Candidates were questioned on both their individual and party plans to ensure economic growth in the Newry region. Undoubtedly, the main question on everybody’s lips was on Brexit and what implications or alternatively what impacts that could mean for local businesses and the region as a whole.
Other issues that the local business representatives wanted to hear the candidate’s thoughts on included local infrastructural issues, urban and rural planning and the physical regeneration of the city centre. We would like to thank all the candidates who accepted our invitation to attend the Q&A panel discussion. We appreciate the candidates taking the time out during what is a frantic period in an election campaign to provide representatives of our local businesses with an insight into their policies, their economic strategy and why they should ultimately get our vote on the 2nd March.
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