Mark H. Durkan
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Mark Henry Durkan (born 3 March 1978) is a
Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ( ga, Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland ...
(SDLP) politician in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
who was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011, representing the Foyle constituency. He served as
Minister of the Environment An environment minister (sometimes minister of the environment or secretary of the environment) is a cabinet position charged with protecting the natural environment and promoting wildlife conservation. The areas associated with the duties of an ...
until the department was dissolved in 2016. He is currently the SDLP spokesperson for Social Justice.


Early life

Mark Durkan was born March 3, 1978, to Patrick and Gay Durkan. He was one of six siblings. He studied in St Columb's College, Derry, before studying English at
Queen's University, Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...
. After leaving university, he worked for Ulster Ceramics, and then as a shop assistant, until his election to Derry City Council in 2005.


Work

Durkan was elected to
Derry City Council Derry City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire; Ulster-Scots: ''Derry Cittie Cooncil'') was the local government authority for the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. It merged with Strabane District Council in April 2015 under local governm ...
in 2005 topping the poll with 2369 first preference votes. He served on council until May 2011 sitting on the Western Health & Social Care Board and Western Education and Library Board. After his election to the Assembly in May 2011 he served as his party's health spokesman from May 2011 to April 2012, and campaigned on the outbreak in January 2012 of
pseudomonas ''Pseudomonas'' is a genus of Gram-negative, Gammaproteobacteria, belonging to the family Pseudomonadaceae and containing 191 described species. The members of the genus demonstrate a great deal of metabolic diversity and consequently are able t ...
at bot
Royal Jubilee Maternity Services (Belfast)
and
Altnagelvin Area Hospital Altnagelvin Area Hospital is the main hospital for the North West of Northern Ireland. It is located in Waterside, Derry. It provides services to the city of Derry and County Londonderry, but also some specialist and acute services for parts o ...
(Derry), which claimed the lives of several infants. It was on the NI Assembly's Social Development Committee from May 2011 to July 2013 where he really came to the fore working tirelessly and effectively on issues such as housing and to protect the most vulnerable in society from the negative impacts the Welfare Reform Bill. As Environment Minister Mark H. Durkan has proposed reforms to the NI Planning system in order to make it fairer, faster and more fit for purpose. He is also considering an outright ban on election posters.


Personal life

In 2006, Durkan sustained life-threatening injuries following a fall at his parents' home. In his spare time, he regularly gives his time to charitable causes, which led him to compete in Ballroom and Latin Dancing competitions in his hometown, and
white-collar boxing White-collar boxing is a form of boxing in which people in white-collar professions train to fight at special events. Most have had no prior boxing experience. Early history White-collar boxing has its beginnings at Gleason's Gym in New York Ci ...
bouts. He is a running enthusiast having completed several half marathons and the first ever Walled City Marathon in Derry on 2 June 2013. Durkan married Anne Carlin on 13 July 2013, and has three sons and a daughter. The family live in Strathfoyle. He is a nephew of former SDLP leader
Mark Durkan Mark Durkan (born 26 June 1960) is a retired Irish nationalist politician from Northern Ireland. Durkan was the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from November 2001 to October 2002, and the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Pa ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Durkan, Mark H. 1978 births Living people Social Democratic and Labour Party MLAs People educated at St Columb's College category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast Politicians from Derry (city) Northern Ireland MLAs 2011–2016 Northern Ireland MLAs 2016–2017 Northern Ireland MLAs 2017–2022 Northern Ireland MLAs 2022–2027