SDLP defends suspending MLA Justin McNulty for leaving to manage GAA game

Mr McNulty left proceedings at Stormont to travel to Wexford where his team Laois won by 10 points

The SDLP has defended its decision to suspend an MLA who left Stormont to manage a Gaelic football team.

Justin McNulty attended the first sitting of the NI Assembly on Saturday but left before proceedings ended and missed his party colleague being nominated as opposition leader.

It later emerged he had travelled by helicopter to County Wexford where his team, Laois, were playing a match.

Mr McNulty was appointed Laois manager last October.

He was on the sideline when his team took on Wexford in Division Four of the National League at 18:00 local time - Laois won by 10 points.

However, he missed his party colleague Mathew O'Toole being nominated as leader of the official opposition.

'Yet to engage properly'

The SDLP's leader Colum Eastwood said the situation "wasn't ideal" and there was "no permission sought or granted" for Mr McNulty's absence.

"We have been trying to engage with Justin for months over this," Mr Eastwood told BBC Radio Foyle. "We've offered all sorts of compromises around this and he's yet to engage properly."

Mr Eastwood confirmed that the MLA had travelled to Wexford by helicopter for the match.

"This is a decision he made [taking on the Laois role]... announced in the public without proper consultation with the party," Mr Eastwood added.

The party leader said Mr McNulty should "think very carefully" about becoming an independent assembly member.

"That's a party seat; people voted for the SDLP," he added.

'The number one rule is to be there'

Speaking on Good Morning Ulster on Monday, Mr O'Toole said was "vitally important" all MLAs were at Stormont for its entirety on Saturday.

"Our whip had informed everyone that attendance for the entirety of this sitting was mandatory. We weren't informed he was going to leave nor was permission sought," he said.

"This was a decision we had to make.

"This isn't something we rushed into or took lightly. I don't want anyone to think there's some other agenda here."

He said: "Seamus Mallon, our former deputy leader, had a saying which is often quoted still… that the number one rule of politics is to be there. And I'm afraid that rule was broken on Saturday.

"Justin has that seat, he was elected to it. So legally he is entitled to hold to that seat and that is his right.

"But I do hope he can engage with us.. and that we can have conversation about this going forward, because obviously the people of Newry and Armagh elected an SDLP MLA."

Mr McNulty, a Newry and Armagh assembly member, won an All-Ireland title with Armagh in 2002.

Some SDLP members have criticised the decision to suspend him.

The party had previously warned the assembly member that he had to choose between his assembly job and being Laois manager.

He was told he could not continue in both roles.