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Colin McGrath | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theNorthern Ireland Assembly forSouth Down | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Seán Rogers |
| Member of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council | |
| In office 22 May 2014 – 5 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | New council |
| Succeeded by | John Trainor |
| Constituency | Downpatrick |
| Member of Down District Council | |
| In office 5 May 2005 – 22 May 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Ann Trainor |
| Succeeded by | Council abolished |
| Constituency | Downpatrick |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1975-10-21)21 October 1975 (age 50) |
| Party | Social Democratic and Labour Party |
| Website | website |
Colin McGrathMLA (born 21 October 1975) is an IrishSocial Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician fromNorthern Ireland. He has been aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly forSouth Down since the2016 election.
McGrath was born in the town ofDownpatrick,County Down on 21 October 1975. He attended St Patrick's Primary School Saul,St Patrick's Grammar School and the East Down Institute (now part ofSouth Eastern Regional College).
Following his completion of secondary education, McGrath attended theUniversity of Ulster Jordanstown and graduated in 1998 inCommunity Youth Work. He then became ayouth worker in Patrician Youth Centre,Downpatrick for 17 years.[1]
McGrath was first elected to the Down District Council in 2005 as a councillor for theSDLP. He served as both chair and vice-chair, becoming the youngest ever chair of the local council. In 2014 he was elected to the newly formedNewry, Mourne & Down District Council.[1]
He enteredAssembly politics when he contested the2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, being elected with 5,110 first-preference votes alongside fellow SDLP candidateSinéad Bradley. The third and incumbent SDLP candidate,Seán Rogers, was not elected and so lost his seat. He was re-elected in the2017 snap NI Assembly election. During his time in the Assembly, McGrath served as a member of the Education Committee, Business Committee and Procedures Committee.[2]
McGrath has highlighted rural issues, accessibility to local services such as the Downe Hospital and youth issues as his main priorities. He has criticised theeleven-plus transfer system, arguing that a level playing field is required and condemning the branding of 11-year-old children as "failures" if they fail to achieve high marks. He supports his party position that academic selection "brands a large portion of children as failures and puts an inordinate amount of pressure on them". He has however argued that the debate is about academic selection rather than a disapproval ofGrammar schools.[3]
He has also served as chairman and Health Spokesperson for the SDLP.[1]
McGrath ran inSouth Down at the2024 general election, finishing second with 10,418 votes (23.0%), toSinn Féin'sChris Hazzard.[4][5]
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | MLA forSouth Down 2016–present | Incumbent |