Pat Doherty | |
|---|---|
 Doherty in 2014 | |
| Vice President of Sinn Féin | |
| In office 10 February 1988 – 22 February 2009 | |
| President | Gerry Adams |
| Preceded by | John Joe McGirl |
| Succeeded by | Mary Lou McDonald |
| Member of Parliament forWest Tyrone | |
| In office 7 June 2001 – 3 May 2017 | |
| Preceded by | William Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Barry McElduff |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly forWest Tyrone | |
| In office 25 June 1998 – June 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Declan McAleer |
| Northern Ireland Forum Member | |
| In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998 | |
| Preceded by | New forum |
| Succeeded by | Forum dissolved |
| Constituency | Top-up list |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1945-07-18)18 July 1945 (age 80) |
| Party | Sinn Féin |
| Relations | Hugh Doherty (brother) |
| Website | Pat Doherty MP |
Patrick Doherty (born 18 July 1945) is a retiredSinn Féin politician, who served as theabstentionistMember of Parliament (MP) forWest Tyrone from2001 to2017. He was also aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) forWest Tyrone from1998 to June 2012. Doherty served as Vice President ofSinn Féin[1] from 1988 to 2009, whenMary Lou McDonald became the party's new vice president.[2]
Doherty was born inGlasgow; his parents were fromCounty Donegal in theRepublic of Ireland. He moved to Donegal in 1968, shortly beforethe Troubles broke out across theIrish border. He was anabstentionistSinn FéinMember of Parliament of theBritish parliament forWest Tyrone from 2001 to 2017, as well as a member of theNorthern Ireland Assembly fromthe 1998 elections until 2012. He has also stood for election in the Republic of Ireland, in the constituency ofDonegal North-East in 1989, 1996 (a by-election) and 1997, and also in theConnacht–Ulster constituency in the EU elections in 1989 and 1994.[3]
In May 2002, usingparliamentary privilege,Ulster Unionist Party MPDavid Burnside named Doherty as a member of theIRA Army Council.[4]
According toThe Times Guide to the House of Commons, Pat Doherty is married with three daughters and two sons, was educated at St Joseph's College,Lochwinnoch, and is a site engineer who likes building stone walls.[5] He is the brother of former Provisional IRA memberHugh Doherty, known for his involvement in theBalcombe Street siege.[6]
Over a two-and-a-half-year period Doherty spent £16,000 on printer cartridges, an amount that he admitted was "probably excessive".[7]
In 2012, to some surprise, Doherty supported funding for a loyalist flute band inCastlederg. He praised the band in the application for reaching out to "all sections of the community".[8] The band had sought support for its funding application from a community group who then, unbeknownst to the band, reached out to Doherty. A spokesman for the band, whose website features a song commemorating deceasedUlster Volunteer Force memberBrian Robinson, distanced themselves from the application, claiming the band was unaware of Doherty's support and did not want it. He added that "The band harbours nothing but contempt for Irish republicanism and its attacks on their community". Four of the band's members were killed by the IRA.[9]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Vice President ofSinn Féin 1988–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Northern Ireland Forum | ||
| New forum | Regional Member 1996–1998 | Forum dissolved |
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
| New assembly | MLA forWest Tyrone 1998–2012 | Succeeded by |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forWest Tyrone 2001–2017 | Succeeded by |
