Mitchel McLaughlin

Mitchel McLaughlin
Mitchel McLaughlin
4th Speaker 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; for South Antrim
	In office; 7 March 2007 – 30 March 2016
Preceded by	Jim Wilson
Succeeded by	Declan Kearney
Member of the Legislative Assembly; for Foyle
	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	29 October 1945 (age 79); Derry, Northern Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Sinn Féin
Spouse	Mary-Lou McLaughlin
Children	3
Website	Mitchel McLaughlin MLA

John Mitchel McLaughlin (born 29 October 1945) is an Irish Sinn Féin former politician who served as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2015 to 2016, becoming the first Nationalist speaker of the Assembly.

McLaughlin was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim from 2007 to 2016. He was previously an MLA for Foyle from 1998 to 2003.

Background

McLaughlin was born in the Bogside area of Derry, 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 for Foyle in the 1998 assembly election and re-elected in 2003. In March 2007, McLaughlin transferred to the South Antrim constituency where he topped the poll during the 2007 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 senior civil 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 of Jean McConville – one of the Disappeared – was not a criminal act.

He is married and has three sons.

References

^ Northern Ireland Assembly biography Archived 20 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 24 December 2006
^ McLaughlin stands in South Antrim, BBC News, 22 December 2006, retrieved 24 December 2006
^ "Mitchel McLaughlin critical of civil service 'immunity'". BBC News. 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.

External links

NIA profile

Party political offices
Preceded by Tom Hartley	Chairperson of Sinn Féin 1996–2005	Succeeded by Mary Lou McDonald
Preceded by Lucilita Bhreatnach	General Secretary of Sinn Féin 2003–2007	Succeeded by Rita O'Hare
Northern Ireland Forum
New forum	Member for Foyle 1996–1998	Forum dissolved
Northern Ireland Assembly
New assembly	MLA for Foyle 1998–2007	Succeeded by Martina Anderson
Preceded by Jim Wilson	MLA for South Antrim 2007–2016	Succeeded by Declan Kearney
Political offices
Preceded by William Hay	Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly 2015–2016	Succeeded by Robin Newton

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[1] Northern Ireland Assembly biography Archived 20 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 24 December 2006

[2] McLaughlin stands in South Antrim, BBC News, 22 December 2006, retrieved 24 December 2006

[BBC_News-3] "Mitchel McLaughlin critical of civil service 'immunity'". BBC News. 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.

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