Arlene Foster
Encyclopedia
Arlene Isabel Foster (b. 3 July 1970) is a politician
in Northern Ireland
. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party
MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone
constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly
. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
on 9 June 2008. Foster became the acting First Minister
of Northern Ireland from 11 January 2010 until 3 February 2010.
and Rosslea in County Fermanagh
. Her experience with the Troubles
began early in her life. A bomb was discovered under a bus she was travelling to school in. A night-time attempt was made to shoot her father, a Royal Ulster Constabulary
reservist, at her home.
She was educated at Queen's University, Belfast where she graduated with an LL.B. degree. It was at Queen's University where her political career began after joining the Queen's Unionist
Association. She served as the association's chairwoman from 1992 to 1993. After leaving Queen's University, she remained active in the Ulster Unionist Party, chairing its youth wing, the Ulster Young Unionist Council, in 1995. In 1996, she became an Honorary Secretary of the UUP's ruling body, the Ulster Unionist Council, a position which she held until her resignation from the UUP on 18 December 2003.
, but shortly afterwards resigned from the party and joined the DUP, together with fellow Assembly members Jeffrey Donaldson
and Norah Beare
. She was selected as the DUP's candidate for Fermanagh & South Tyrone in the United Kingdom general election, 2005
. Negotiations took place between the local branches of the DUP and UUP with the aim of finding an agreed unionist candidate. The negotiations broke down with neither party willing to accept the electoral dominance of the other; the UUP claiming Foster's defection to the DUP disguised the reality of the UUP's electoral strength, whilst the DUP pointed to change in the unionist political landscape following the 2003 Assembly election and 2004 European Parliament election. The UUP candidate was Tom Elliott
. Foster finished second in the 2005 general election with 14,056 votes.
centre was given preliminary approval by the new Northern Ireland Environment Minister and Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) member Arlene Foster. Immediately afterwards, the public money that had been allocated to the Causeway development was frozen. The proposal resulted in a public row about the relationship between the private developer Seymour Sweeney and the DUP; Mr Sweeney is a member of the DUP, although both parties deny that Mr Sweeney has ever given to the party financially. On 29 January 2008, Mrs Foster announced that she had now decided against Mr Sweeney's proposal for a new visitors' centre, reversing her earlier position of "being minded" to approve it. Although the public funds for a Causeway scheme remain frozen for the moment, it seems highly likely that the publicly funded plan for the Causeway will now go ahead after all.
stepped aside for a planned period of up to six weeks. Foster worked along with the deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness
. He returned earlier than planned, on 3 February 2010.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Assembly constituency)
Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
on 9 June 2008. Foster became the acting First Minister
First Minister and deputy First Minister
The First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...
of Northern Ireland from 11 January 2010 until 3 February 2010.
Background
Foster was raised in the townland of Dernawilt, between LisnaskeaLisnaskea
Lisnaskea is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 2,739 people in the 2001 Census. The town is built around the long main street, which bends at almost 90 degrees along its course.- History :...
and Rosslea in County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
. Her experience with the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
began early in her life. A bomb was discovered under a bus she was travelling to school in. A night-time attempt was made to shoot her father, a Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
reservist, at her home.
She was educated at Queen's University, Belfast where she graduated with an LL.B. degree. It was at Queen's University where her political career began after joining the Queen's Unionist
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
Association. She served as the association's chairwoman from 1992 to 1993. After leaving Queen's University, she remained active in the Ulster Unionist Party, chairing its youth wing, the Ulster Young Unionist Council, in 1995. In 1996, she became an Honorary Secretary of the UUP's ruling body, the Ulster Unionist Council, a position which she held until her resignation from the UUP on 18 December 2003.
Early political life
She was elected as an Ulster Unionist in the 2003 Assembly electionsNorthern Ireland Assembly election, 2003
The second elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which at the time of the elections had been suspended for just over a year, were held on Wednesday 26 November 2003. Six members were elected by Single Transferable Vote from each of Northern Ireland's eighteen Westminster Parliamentary...
, but shortly afterwards resigned from the party and joined the DUP, together with fellow Assembly members Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
and Norah Beare
Norah Beare
Norah Beare was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley.She was elected as an Ulster Unionist Party candidate in the Assembly election of 2003; however, she defected to the Democratic Unionist Party in 2004 along with Jeffrey Donaldson MP, MLA for Lagan Valley and Arlene...
. She was selected as the DUP's candidate for Fermanagh & South Tyrone in the United Kingdom general election, 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. Negotiations took place between the local branches of the DUP and UUP with the aim of finding an agreed unionist candidate. The negotiations broke down with neither party willing to accept the electoral dominance of the other; the UUP claiming Foster's defection to the DUP disguised the reality of the UUP's electoral strength, whilst the DUP pointed to change in the unionist political landscape following the 2003 Assembly election and 2004 European Parliament election. The UUP candidate was Tom Elliott
Tom Elliott
Tom Elliott MLA is a Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist MLA and the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and former UDR member...
. Foster finished second in the 2005 general election with 14,056 votes.
Minister of the Environment
In September 2007, a privately financed proposal for a new Giant's CausewayGiant's Causeway
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles northeast of the town of Bushmills...
centre was given preliminary approval by the new Northern Ireland Environment Minister and Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP) member Arlene Foster. Immediately afterwards, the public money that had been allocated to the Causeway development was frozen. The proposal resulted in a public row about the relationship between the private developer Seymour Sweeney and the DUP; Mr Sweeney is a member of the DUP, although both parties deny that Mr Sweeney has ever given to the party financially. On 29 January 2008, Mrs Foster announced that she had now decided against Mr Sweeney's proposal for a new visitors' centre, reversing her earlier position of "being minded" to approve it. Although the public funds for a Causeway scheme remain frozen for the moment, it seems highly likely that the publicly funded plan for the Causeway will now go ahead after all.
Office of the First and deputy First Minister
On 11 January 2010, she assumed the duties of the First Minister of Northern Ireland, as Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
stepped aside for a planned period of up to six weeks. Foster worked along with the deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
. He returned earlier than planned, on 3 February 2010.