SDLP SOUTH Down MLA Sinéad Bradley has announced that she'll be standing down ahead of the next assembly election.
Ms Bradley, whose late father PJ Bradley also represented South Down, announced her intentions on social media.
The former teacher was first elected in 2016. She is the constituency's second sitting MLA who will not contest the next assembly election, scheduled for next year.
The Irish News revealed last week that Sinn Féin MLA Emma Rogan had been deselected.
In a Facebook post yesterday, which took her colleagues by surprise, Ms Bradley said that while she continued to enjoy the support of the SDLP and "ongoing encouragement from the electorate", she had made a personal choice not to seek selection for the forthcoming election.
"I intend to honour the remainder of this current mandate," she said.
"Grateful to all those who supported me on my political journey, particularly the first class constituency office team."
Potential replacements in South Down include Laura Devlin, who has just completed a year as chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, and fellow councillor Karen McKevitt, who previously served as an MLA for the constituency but failed to get elected when she switched to Newry and Armagh in 2016.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood last night paid tribute to 49-year-old Ms Bradley, who is regarded as being on the party's socially conservative wing.
“Sinéad Bradley has been an outstanding representative for South Down and an important member of our team since she was elected," he said.
"I know how much she cares about South Down and its people so this cannot have been an easy decision to make."
The Foyle MP said party colleagues would miss the South Down MLA's "passion, hard work and diligence".
"But I know that she will continue to be a champion for her community and for our party," he said.
