Colin McGrath

Colin McGrath MLA (born 21 October 1975) is an Irish Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician from Northern Ireland. He has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Down since the 2016 election.

Background McGrath was born in the town of Downpatrick, 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 of South Eastern Regional College).

Following his completion of secondary education, McGrath attended the University of Ulster Jordanstown and graduated in 1998 in Community Youth Work. He then became a youth worker in Patrician Youth Centre, Downpatrick for 17 years.

Political career McGrath was first elected to the Down District Council in 2005 as a councillor for the SDLP. 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 formed Newry, Mourne & Down District Council.

McGrath has highlighted rural issues, accessibility to local services such as the Downe Hospital and youth issues as his main priorities. He has criticised the eleven-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 of Grammar schools.

He has also served as chairman and Health Spokesperson for the SDLP.