Paul Butler (Irish: Pól de Buitléir) is a

republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

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 ...

and a former member of the

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...

. He served as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley from 2007–11.

Involvement in the Troubles

At the age of 17, Butler was convicted of killing 50-year-old reserve Royal Ulster Constabulary officer. As a result, he spent 15 years in jail.

Lisburn City Council

Paul Butler is the leader of the Sinn Féin group on the

Lisburn City Council Lisburn City Council was the local authority for an area partly in County Antrim and partly in County Down in Northern Ireland. As of May 2015 it was merged with Castlereagh Borough Council as part of the reform of local government in Northern ...

. The party currently holds four seats on the council, making it the third party and the largest nationalist party. Butler has a served as a

Councillor A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries. Canada Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...

for Lisburn City Council since 1997 and is a member of their Strategic Policy, Planning and Finance Committees. Butler claims he campaigns against discrimination on the council, culminating in the

Irish Government The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The gover ...

sending a representative to witness council proceedings. Nationalists claim that the unionist majority on the council has prevented nationalists from taking council positions. Butler campaigned for the town to gain city status which was bestowed on the city by the British Monarch.

Westminster elections

Butler stood in the UK general elections in 2001 and 2005 in the Lagan Valley constituency but was not elected. In the 2005 general election, Sinn Féin received the largest share of the vote by a nationalist party, overtaking the SDLP.

Standing down

Butler announced that he will not contest the May Assembly elections after only one term as an MLA. "I am standing down," confirmed Butler. "The Party's position on this is that anyone who is a councillor and an MLA should only have one job."

Assembly elections

Results of the election to the Northern Irish Assembly, Lagan Valley, 2003

*Patricia Lewsley was appointed as Children's Commissioner and was replaced as an MLA by Marietta Farrell

Results of the election to the Northern Irish Assembly, Lagan Valley, 2007

Butler became the first Sinn Féin member for Lagan Valley in the Northern Irish Assembly. He won the SDLP seat previously held by Patricia Lewsley and subsequently Marietta Farrell. Butler was the only nationalist elected in the six-seater constituency.

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Paul Irish republicans Living people Northern Ireland MLAs 2007–2011 Provisional Irish Republican Army members Republicans imprisoned during the Northern Ireland conflict Sinn Féin MLAs Year of birth missing (living people) Sinn Féin councillors in Northern Ireland Members of Lisburn City Council Sinn Féin parliamentary candidates