John O'Dowd
| John O'Dowd | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Minister for Education | |
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In office 16 May 2011 – 25 May 2016 |
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| First Minister |
Peter Robinson Arlene Foster |
| Deputy First Minister | Martin McGuinness |
| Preceded by | Caitríona Ruane |
| Succeeded by | Peter Weir |
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Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Acting |
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In office 20 September 2011 – 31 October 2011 Serving with Peter Robinson |
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| Preceded by | Martin McGuinness |
| Succeeded by | Martin McGuinness |
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Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann |
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In office 26 November 2003 – 26 January 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Dara O'Hagan |
| Succeeded by | Election in progress |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
10 May 1967 Tullylish, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse(s) | Mary O'Dowd |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Politician |
John Fitztgerald O'Dowd (born 10 May 1967) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician. He was the Minister for Education in the Stormont Executive from 2011 to 2016 and the Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann since 2003. He briefly took on the duties of deputy First Minister in 2011 while Martin McGuinness ran in the 2011 Irish presidential election.
O'Dowd was born in 1967 in a rural community between Lurgan and Banbridge.
O'Dowd previously trained as a chef before engaging in politics. He began his political career serving for 14 years 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. In 2003 he was elected as MLA for Upper Bann. Between 2007 and 2011 he was Sinn Féin group leader in the Assembly and served as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee before becoming a member of the Education Committee in 2008.
Following the 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election John O'Dowd was nominated by Sinn Féin to assume the duties of the office for Minister for Education.
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