John O'Dowd
Encyclopedia
John O'Dowd MLA
is an Irish Sinn Féin
politician. He served as acting deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 20 September to 31 October 2011, and is also the current Minister for Education
. O'Dowd is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Upper Bann
and a councillor on Craigavon Borough Council
. He topped the poll in Upper Bann on two occasions, 2007 and 2011, and served as Sinn Féin Group leader in the Assembly 2007-2011. In May 2011, O'Dowd was appointed to the Northern Ireland Executive
as Minister for Education
. At midnight on 20 September 2011, he assumed the duties of deputy First Minister while Martin McGuinness
ran in the 2011 Irish presidential election.
to assume the duties of the office for Minister for Education.
to nominate Martin McGuinness
as a candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election, it was announced on 16 September 2011 that O'Dowd would be nominated to replace Martin McGuinness
on a temporary basis as acting deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. O'Dowd was nominated on Monday, 19 September 2011. He formally accepted the nomination and assumed the duties of office. The arrangement was reviewed after a period of three weeks. On 31 October 2011, deputy First Minister McGuinness resumed his duties, after having lost the Irish presidenital election.
Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)
Member of the Legislative Assembly is a representative elected by the voters to the Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland.- About :...
is an Irish Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
politician. He served as acting deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 20 September to 31 October 2011, and is also the current Minister for Education
Department of Education (Northern Ireland)
The Department of Education is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
. O'Dowd is a member of 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...
for Upper Bann
Upper Bann (Assembly constituency)
Upper Bann is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996...
and a councillor on Craigavon Borough Council
Craigavon Borough Council
Craigavon Borough Council is a local council in counties Armagh, Down and Antrim, in Northern Ireland. The headquarters of the council is in Craigavon, on the shores of Lough Neagh, a new town built between Lurgan and Portadown. The council area includes the large towns of Lurgan and Portadown, as...
. He topped the poll in Upper Bann on two occasions, 2007 and 2011, and served as Sinn Féin Group leader in the Assembly 2007-2011. In May 2011, O'Dowd was appointed to the Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
as Minister for Education
Minister of Education (Northern Ireland)
The Minister of Education was a member of the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of Northern Ireland which governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972.-References:*...
. At midnight on 20 September 2011, he assumed the duties of deputy First Minister while 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....
ran in the 2011 Irish presidential election.
Early career
O'Dowd began his political career as a councillor on Craigavon Council and previously served as a school governor. O'Dowd has served as Chair of Upper Bann Sinn Féin and a member of the party's Six County Executive, O'Dowd was leader of the Sinn Féin group on Craigavon Council.Minister for Education
Following the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2011 John O'Dowd was nominated by Sinn FeinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
to assume the duties of the office for Minister for Education.
Acting deputy First Minister
Following the decision by Sinn FeinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
to nominate 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....
as a candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election, it was announced on 16 September 2011 that O'Dowd would be nominated to replace 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....
on a temporary basis as acting deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. O'Dowd was nominated on Monday, 19 September 2011. He formally accepted the nomination and assumed the duties of office. The arrangement was reviewed after a period of three weeks. On 31 October 2011, deputy First Minister McGuinness resumed his duties, after having lost the Irish presidenital election.
External links
- Councillor John O'Dowd — official Sinn Féin biography
- SF member warned of 'risk of attack' — RTÉRTERTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
News article - Comments on place of Orange Order on Parades Commission — BBC News article