Paul Girvan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Girvan
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2020
|
|
| Member of Parliament for South Antrim |
|
| In office 8 June 2017 – 30 May 2024 |
|
| Preceded by | Danny Kinahan |
| Succeeded by | Robin Swann |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Antrim |
|
| In office 1 July 2010 – 8 June 2017 |
|
| Preceded by | William McCrea |
| Succeeded by | Trevor Clarke |
| In office 26 November 2003 – 7 March 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Norman Boyd |
| Succeeded by | William McCrea |
| Member of Newtownabbey Borough Council |
|
| In office 21 May 1997 – 22 May 2014 |
|
| Preceded by | Samuel Cameron |
| Succeeded by | Council abolished |
| Constituency | Ballyclare |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Paul Girvan
6 July 1963 Ballyclare, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
William Paul Girvan (born July 6, 1963) is a retired politician from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of South Antrim in the United Kingdom. He held this position from 2017 until 2024.
Before becoming an MP, Paul Girvan was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA). He represented South Antrim in the Assembly from 2003 to 2007, and again from 2010 to 2017. He also worked as a local councillor for many years.
Contents
Political Career
Paul Girvan had a long career in politics. He worked at local, regional, and national levels. His roles included serving on a local council, being part of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and finally, being a Member of Parliament.
Local Council Work
Paul Girvan first became a local politician in 1997. He was elected to the Newtownabbey Borough Council. This council helped manage local services for the people living in the Ballyclare area.
He was re-elected several times, showing that people in his area trusted him. From 2002 to 2004, he held the important role of Mayor of Newtownabbey. As Mayor, he was the main public figure for the council. He also led the council's Development Committee, which planned new projects.
Northern Ireland Assembly
In 2003, Paul Girvan was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly. This is the main law-making body for Northern Ireland. He represented the South Antrim area.
He left the Assembly in 2007 but returned in 2010. He took over the seat from another politician, William McCrea, who had resigned. He continued to serve as an MLA until 2017.
Member of Parliament
In the 2017 general election, Paul Girvan decided to run for a seat in the UK Parliament. He stood for the South Antrim area. He won the election, beating the previous MP, Danny Kinahan.
As an MP, he worked in the House of Commons in London. He was the DUP's spokesperson for transport issues. This meant he spoke for his party on topics like roads, trains, and planes.
He was re-elected in the 2019 general election. However, his number of votes went down slightly. In 2020, he made a comment during a debate about food prices that caused some discussion. He quickly apologized for his remark.
In the 2024 general election, Paul Girvan lost his seat. He was replaced by Robin Swann from the Ulster Unionist Party. After this, Paul Girvan retired from politics.
Personal Life
Paul Girvan is married to Mandy. Mandy also has a background in local politics. She used to be a councillor for the Ballyclare area on the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
