Lloyd Douglas, a local resident and Ulster Unionist spokesman, has called on Andrew Muir, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, to produce a clear strategic plan for Tollymore Forest Park in the Mournes.

Douglas asked UUP MLA Jon Burrows to submit questions about the park to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The questions addressed the underuse of Clanbrassil Barn and the tea house despite a £640,000 refurbishment in 2015, and sought updates on repairs to stepping stones over the Shimna River.

Minister Muir confirmed the 2015 works at the tea house and barn were funded under the NI Executive’s Economy and Jobs Initiative. He stated the barn serves mainly as a customer service facility and staff base, while the tea house ground floor holds storage and the first floor hosts occasional events.

Muir noted the park receives around 200,000 visits each year from local people and tourists. He said staff conduct an intensive maintenance programme, focusing on the path network along the Shimna River corridor and the caravan park as a gateway to the Mourne Mountains.

The minister added that a missing stepping stone will be reinstated. Douglas described the park as a key asset for tourism and wellbeing in Northern Ireland.