List of members of the Northern Ireland Forum

Last updated

This is a list of members of the Northern Ireland Forum. The Forum was elected in 1996. Most members were elected on a constituency basis, but the ten highest political parties winning the most votes were each allocated two top-up seats.

Contents

110 members were elected. The Sinn Féin members did not take their seats, while the Social Democratic and Labour Party and UK Unionist Party members later withdrew.

Members are listed by party, and those parties by number of votes won.

Members by party

This is a list of members elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996, sorted by party.

PartyNameConstituency
Ulster Unionist Party (30) Antony Alcock Top up seat
Tom Benson Strangford
David Brewster East Londonderry
David Browne Belfast North
David Campbell Lagan Valley
Jim Clarke Belfast South
Robert Coulter North Antrim
Ivan Davis Lagan Valley
Jeffrey Donaldson Lagan Valley
Reg Empey Belfast East
Sam Foster Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Sam Gardiner Upper Bann
Joe Gaston North Antrim
John Gorman Top up seat
John Hunter South Antrim
Derek Hussey West Tyrone
John Junkin Mid Ulster
Peter King South Antrim
Alan McFarland North Down
Ken Maginnis Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Dermot Nesbitt South Down
Thomas Robinson East Antrim
Jim Rodgers Belfast East
Jim Speers Newry and Armagh
May Steele East Antrim
Bob Stoker Belfast South
John Taylor Strangford
David Trimble Upper Bann
Peter Weir North Down
Robert White East Londonderry
Democratic Unionist Party (24) May Beattie East Antrim
Robert Bolton East Londonderry
Cecil Calvert Lagan Valley
Gregory Campbell Top up seat
Mervyn Carrick Upper Bann
Wilson Clyde South Antrim
Nigel Dodds Belfast North
Oliver Gibson West Tyrone
Trevor Kirkland South Antrim
St Clair McAlister North Down
William McCrea Mid Ulster
Jack McKee East Antrim
Maurice Morrow Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Ian Paisley North Antrim
Ian Paisley Jr. North Antrim
Joan Parkes Belfast South
Edwin Poots Lagan Valley
Iris Robinson Strangford
Peter Robinson Belfast East
Jim Shannon Strangford
Eric Smyth Top up seat
Billy Snoddy South Antrim
Robert Stewart East Londonderry
Sammy Wilson East Belfast
Social Democratic and Labour Party (21) Joe Byrne West Tyrone
Hugh Carr South Down
Arthur Doherty East Londonderry
Mark Durkan Foyle
Sean Farren North Antrim
Frank Feely Newry and Armagh
Dorita Field Top up seat
Tommy Gallagher Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Joe Hendron Belfast West
John Hume Foyle
Alban Maginness Belfast North
Seamus Mallon Newry and Armagh
Donovan McClelland South Antrim
Alasdair McDonnell Belfast South
Patsy McGlone Mid Ulster
Paddy McGowan West Tyrone
Eddie McGrady South Down
Margaret Ritchie South Down
Bríd Rodgers Upper Bann
Jonathan Stephenson Top up seat
John Tierney Foyle
Sinn Féin (17) Gerry Adams Belfast West
Annie Armstrong Belfast West
Lucilita Bhreatnach Top up seat
Maria Caraher Newry and Armagh
Pat Doherty Top up seat
Patrick Groogan Mid Ulster
Gerry Kelly Belfast North
Alex Maskey Belfast West
Barry McElduff West Tyrone
Dodie McGuinness Belfast West
Martin McGuinness Mid Ulster
Gerry McHugh Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Mitchel McLaughlin Foyle
Pat McNamee Newry and Armagh
Francie Molloy Mid Ulster
Mick Murphy South Down
Michelle O'Connor Upper Bann
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (7) John Alderdice Belfast East
Eileen Bell Top up seat
Seamus Close Top up seat
Steve McBride Belfast South
Kieran McCarthy Strangford
Oliver Napier North Down
Seán Neeson East Antrim
UK Unionist Party (3) Robert McCartney North Down
Conor Cruise O'Brien Top up seat
Cedric Wilson Top up seat
Progressive Unionist Party (2) David Ervine Top up seat
Hugh Smyth Top up seat
Ulster Democratic Party (2) Gary McMichael Top up seat
John White Top up seat
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (2) Monica McWilliams Top up seat
Pearl Sagar Top up seat
Labour Coalition (2) Hugh Casey Top up seat
Malachi Curran Top up seat

Representatives by constituency

The list is given in alphabetical order by constituency.

Members of the Northern Ireland Forum
ConstituencyNameParty
Belfast East John Alderdice Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Reg Empey Ulster Unionist Party
Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist Party
Jim Rodgers Ulster Unionist Party
Sammy Wilson Democratic Unionist Party
Belfast North David Browne Ulster Unionist Party
Nigel Dodds Democratic Unionist Party
Gerry Kelly Sinn Féin
Alban Maginness Social Democratic and Labour Party
Billy Snoddy Democratic Unionist Party
Belfast South Jim Clarke Ulster Unionist Party
Steve McBride Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Alasdair McDonnell Social Democratic and Labour Party
Joan Parkes Democratic Unionist Party
Bob Stoker Ulster Unionist Party
Belfast West Gerry Adams Sinn Féin
Annie Armstrong Sinn Féin
Joe Hendron Social Democratic and Labour Party
Alex Maskey Sinn Féin
Dodie McGuinness Sinn Féin
East Antrim May Beattie Democratic Unionist Party
Sean Neeson Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Jack McKee Democratic Unionist Party
Thomas Robinson Ulster Unionist Party
May Steele Ulster Unionist Party
East Londonderry Robert Bolton Democratic Unionist Party
David Brewster Ulster Unionist Party
Arthur Doherty Social Democratic and Labour Party
Robert Stewart Democratic Unionist Party
Robert White Ulster Unionist Party
Fermanagh and South Tyrone Sam Foster Ulster Unionist Party
Tommy Gallagher Social Democratic and Labour Party
Ken Maginnis Ulster Unionist Party
Gerry McHugh Sinn Féin
Maurice Morrow Democratic Unionist Party
Foyle Mark Durkan Social Democratic and Labour Party
John Hume Social Democratic and Labour Party
Martin McGuinness Sinn Féín
Mitchel McLaughlin Sinn Féín
John Tierney Social Democratic and Labour Party
Lagan Valley Cecil Calvert Democratic Unionist Party
David Campbell Ulster Unionist Party
Ivan Davis Ulster Unionist Party
Jeffrey Donaldson Ulster Unionist Party
Edwin Poots Democratic Unionist Party
Mid Ulster Patrick Groogan Sinn Féin
John Junkin Ulster Unionist Party
William McCrea Democratic Unionist Party
Patsy McGlone Social Democratic and Labour Party
Francie Molloy Sinn Féin
Newry and Armagh Maria Caraher Sinn Féin
Frank Feely Social Democratic and Labour Party
Danny Kennedy Ulster Unionist Party
Pat McNamee Sinn Féin
Seamus Mallon Social Democratic and Labour Party
North Antrim Robert Coulter Ulster Unionist Party
Sean Farren Social Democratic and Labour Party
Joe Gaston Ulster Unionist Party
Ian Paisley Democratic Unionist Party
Ian Paisley Jr Democratic Unionist Party
North Down St Clair McAlister Democratic Unionist Party
Robert McCartney UK Unionist Party
Alan McFarland Ulster Unionist Party
Oliver Napier Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Peter Weir Ulster Unionist Party
South Antrim Wilson Clyde Democratic Unionist Party
John Hunter Ulster Unionist Party
Peter King Ulster Unionist Party
Trevor Kirkland Democratic Unionist Party
Donovan McClelland Social Democratic and Labour Party
South Down Hugh Carr Social Democratic and Labour Party
Dermot Nesbitt Ulster Unionist Party
Eddie McGrady Social Democratic and Labour Party
Mick Murphy Sinn Féin
Margaret Ritchie Social Democratic and Labour Party
Strangford Tom Benson Ulster Unionist Party
Kieran McCarthy Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Iris Robinson Democratic Unionist Party
Jim Shannon Democratic Unionist Party
John Taylor Ulster Unionist Party
Upper Bann Mervyn Carrick Democratic Unionist Party
Michelle O'Connor Sinn Féin
Bríd Rodgers Social Democratic and Labour Party
Sam Gardiner Ulster Unionist Party
David Trimble Ulster Unionist Party
West Tyrone Joe Byrne Social Democratic and Labour Party
Oliver Gibson Democratic Unionist Party
Derek Hussey Ulster Unionist Party
Barry McElduff Sinn Féin
Paddy McGowan Social Democratic and Labour Party
Top up seats Antony Alcock Ulster Unionist Party
Eileen Bell Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Lucilita Bhreatnach Sinn Féin
Gregory Campbell Democratic Unionist Party
Hugh Casey Labour Coalition
Seamus Close Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Malachi Curran Labour Coalition
Pat Doherty Sinn Féin
David Ervine Progressive Unionist Party
Dorita Field Social Democratic and Labour Party
John Gorman Ulster Unionist Party
Gary McMichael Ulster Democratic Party
Monica McWilliams Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Conor Cruise O'Brien UK Unionist Party
Pearl Sagar Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Eric Smyth Democratic Unionist Party
Hugh Smyth Progressive Unionist Party
Jonathan Stephenson Social Democratic and Labour Party
John White Ulster Democratic Party
Cedric Wilson UK Unionist Party

Representation of women

Of all the members, there were 18 women:

See also

Related Research Articles

The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has seven members in the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLAs) and two members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election</span>

The 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election took place on Thursday, 25 June 1998. This was the first election to the new devolved Northern Ireland Assembly. Six members from each of Northern Ireland's eighteen Westminster Parliamentary constituencies were elected by single transferable vote, giving a total of 108 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK Unionist Party</span> Political party

The UK Unionist Party (UKUP) was a small unionist political party in Northern Ireland from 1995 to 2008 that opposed the Good Friday Agreement. It was nominally formed by Robert McCartney, formerly of the Ulster Unionist Party, to contest the 1995 North Down by-election and then further constituted to contest the 1996 elections for the Northern Ireland Forum. McCartney had previously contested the 1987 general election as an independent using the label Real Unionist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Ireland Women's Coalition</span> Political party in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (NIWC) was a minor cross-community political party in Northern Ireland from 1996 to 2006.

The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) is a minor unionist political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979. Linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Red Hand Commando (RHC), for a time it described itself as "the only left of centre unionist party" in Northern Ireland, with its main support base in the loyalist working class communities of Belfast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulster Democratic Party</span> Political party in Northern Ireland

The Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) was a small loyalist political party in Northern Ireland. It was established in June 1981 as the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), to replace the New Ulster Political Research Group. The UDP name had previously been used in the 1930s by an unrelated party, which on one occasion contested Belfast Central.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Gildernew</span> Irish politician (born 1970)

Michelle Angela Gildernew is an Irish Sinn Féin politician from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone from 2017 to 2024, after previously holding the seat from 2001 to 2015.

Robert Law McCartney, KC is a Northern Irish barrister and Unionist politician who was leader of the UK Unionist Party (UKUP) from 1995 to 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Down (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950 onwards

North Down is a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Alex Easton, elected at the 2024 United Kingdom general election.

Armagh or County Armagh is a former county constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It was a two-member constituency in Ireland from 1801 to 1885 and a single-member constituency in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 1950. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983.

Elections in Northern Ireland are held on a regular basis to local councils, the Northern Ireland Assembly and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Seán Neeson is a politician in Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland between 1998 and 2001, and a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for East Antrim from 1998 to 2011.

Seamus Anthony Close OBE was a Northern Irish politician who was deputy leader of the Alliance Party from 1998 to 2001, and a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley from 1998 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alasdair McDonnell</span> Northern Irish politician (born 1949)

Alasdair McDonnell is a retired Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 2011 to 2015, having served as deputy leader between 2004 and 2010. He was the Member of Parliament for Belfast South from 2005 to 2017, and also a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Belfast South from 1998 to 2015. He graduated from medical school at University College Dublin in 1974.

The Ulster Independence Movement was an Ulster nationalist political party founded on 17 November 1988. The group emerged from the Ulster Clubs, after a series of 15 public meetings across Northern Ireland. Led by Hugh Ross, a Presbyterian minister from Dungannon, County Tyrone, the UIC sought to end what it saw as the tyranny of rule from London and instead set up an independent Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Ireland Forum</span> Provisional forum for the Northern Ireland peace process

The Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael McGimpsey</span>

Michael McGimpsey is a former Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Belfast South from 1998 to 2016.

Mark Langhammer is a Northern Irish trade unionist, employed as Director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and elected onto the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in 2008, being re-elected in 2010. A former politician in Northern Ireland, he was previously a prominent northern-based member of the Irish Labour Party.

Marian Donnelly is a former president of the Workers' Party and was a member of the former District Policing Partnership for the Magherafelt district of Northern Ireland.

Jonathan Stephenson was an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was the chairman of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 1995 to 1998, and a Belfast City Councillor for Castle from 1993 until 1997.

References