Mitchel McLaughlin | |
|---|---|
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| 4thSpeaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly | |
| In office 12 January 2015 – 12 May 2016 | |
| Deputy | Robin Newton (2015–2016) John Dallat (2015–2016) Roy Beggs Jr (2015–2016) |
| Preceded by | William Hay |
| Succeeded by | Robin Newton |
| Principal Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly | |
| In office 15 April 2013 – 12 January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Francie Molloy |
| Succeeded by | Robin Newton |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly forSouth Antrim | |
| In office 7 March 2007 – 30 March 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Declan Kearney |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly forFoyle | |
| In office 25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Martina Anderson |
| Member of Derry City Council | |
| In office 19 May 1993 – 21 May 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Bernard McFadden |
| Succeeded by | Marion Hutcheon |
| Constituency | Northland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1945-10-29)29 October 1945 (age 80) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse | Mary-Lou McLaughlin |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | Mitchel McLaughlin MLA |
John Mitchel McLaughlin (born 29 October 1945) is an IrishSinn Féin former politician who served asSpeaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2015 to 2016, becoming the first Nationalist speaker of the Assembly.
McLaughlin was aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) forSouth Antrim from2007 to2016. He was previously an MLA forFoyle from1998 to2003.
McLaughlin was born in theBogside area ofDerry,Northern Ireland and educated at Long Tower Boys School, Derry and Christian Brothers Technical College, Derry.[1]
He was elected a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly forFoyle in the1998 assembly election andre-elected in 2003. In March 2007, McLaughlin transferred to theSouth Antrim constituency where he topped the poll during the2007 Assembly election.[2] He was re-elected at the 2011 Assembly election.
After it was revealed that a consultancy contract on a new accounting system extended to 10 times the original budget, McLaughlin said, "I am very, very angry and I am very concerned that there appears to be almost a sense of immunity at the seniorcivil service level when these basic mistakes are made."[3]
The party chairman came in for criticism in 2005 when he said the kidnapping and killing ofJean McConville – one of theDisappeared – was not a criminal act.
He is married and has three sons.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chairperson ofSinn Féin 1996–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | General Secretary ofSinn Féin 2003–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Northern Ireland Forum | ||
| New forum | Member forFoyle 1996–1998 | Forum dissolved |
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
| New assembly | MLA forFoyle 1998–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | MLA forSouth Antrim 2007–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly 2015–2016 | Succeeded by |
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