A move by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to discuss the application for Borough status for the region will not get support from Sinn Fein, Cllr Terry Hearty has said.
Commenting Cllr Hearty, the Party's Group Leader in Newry, Mourne and Down Council said "There is absolutely nothing to be gained from applying for borough status," he said.

"Not one citizen will benefit in any way from such a move. It will serve only to inflate the egos of those who would buy into the ludicrous titles it brings with it and the equally ludicrous gowns and other ceremonial trappings.
"Furthermore, boroughs are generally regarded as being centred around a main town. Our council area is a sprawling, largely rural area, with a number of big towns in different parts of the district. Singling one out as the centre of any new borough would only be divisive at a time when we are trying to get formerly separate councils working together as one unit.
"All such an application would bring us would be the expense of changing every sign in the council area so it now read "borough" instead of "district."


