John O'Dowd | |
|---|---|
 O'Dowd in 2025 | |
| Minister for Finance | |
| Assumed office 3 February 2025 | |
| First Minister | Michelle O'Neill |
| Preceded by | Caoimhe Archibald |
| Minister for Infrastructure | |
| In office 3 February 2024 – 3 February 2025 | |
| First Minister | Michelle O'Neill |
| Preceded by | Himself (2022) |
| Succeeded by | Liz Kimmins |
| In office 16 May 2022 – 27 October 2022 | |
| First Minister | Vacant |
| Preceded by | Nichola Mallon |
| Succeeded by | Himself (2024) |
| Minister for Education | |
| Acting 16 May 2011 – 25 May 2016 Serving with Peter Robinson | |
| First Minister | Peter Robinson |
| Preceded by | Caitríona Ruane |
| Succeeded by | Peter Weir |
| Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland | |
| In office 20 September 2011 – 31 October 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Martin McGuinness |
| Succeeded by | Martin McGuinness |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly forUpper Bann | |
| Assumed office 26 November 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Dara O'Hagan |
| Constituency | Loughside |
| Member of Craigavon Borough Council | |
| In office 21 May 1997 – 5 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Brendan McConville |
| Succeeded by | Mairéad O'Dowd |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Fitzgerald O'Dowd (1967-05-10)10 May 1967 (age 58) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse | Mary O'Dowd |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Politician |
John Fitzgerald O'Dowd (born 10 May 1967) is anIrishSinn Féin politician. He has been aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly forUpper Bann since 2003, and has served asMinister for Finance since February 2025.[1][2] He served asMinister for Infrastructure from May to October 2022, and again from February 2024 until February 2025. He served asMinister for Education in theStormont Executive from 2011 to 2016. He briefly took on the duties ofdeputy First Minister in 2011 whileMartin McGuinness ran in the2011 Irish presidential election.
In 2019, O'Dowd launched an unsuccessful bid to unseatMichelle O'Neill asVice President of Sinn Féin at the party'sard fheis and received the endorsement ofFermanagh and South TyroneMPMichelle Gildernew. However, he refused to give media interviews to explain his decision to challenge O'Neill.[3]
O'Dowd was born in 1967 inTullylish, a rural community betweenLurgan andBanbridge.[4] He had trained as a chef before engaging in politics.[5] He began his political career serving for 14 years as a councillor onCraigavon Borough Council and previously served as a school governor.[6] O'Dowd has served as Chair of Upper Bann Sinn Féin and a member of the party's Six County Executive, O'Dowd was leader of the Sinn Féin group on Craigavon Council.[6] In 2003 he was elected asMLA forUpper Bann and in 2005 unsuccessfully contested the same-named Westminster constituency. Between 2007 and 2011 he wasSinn Féin group leader in theAssembly and served as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee before becoming a member of the Education Committee in 2008.[4]
On the 13 May 2022, he was confirmed as the 'caretaker' Infrastructure Minister replacingNichola Mallon of the SDLP who failed to retain her seat in the previous week's election. He took office on 16 May 2022.[7]
AfterSinn Féin nominatedMartin McGuinness as its candidate in the2011 Irish presidential election, O'Dowd took over the duties of deputy First Minister on a temporary basis from 20 September to 31 October 2011.[8]
O'Dowd is married and has three children.[4]
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | MLA forUpper Bann 2003–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Education 2011–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Actingdeputy First Minister of Northern Ireland 2011 | Succeeded by |