Pat Catney

Pat Catney (born 11 November 1954) is an Irish Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician and former publican who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley from 2017 to 2022.

Pat Catney
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Lagan Valley
In office
2 March 2017 – 28 March 2022
Preceded byBrenda Hale
Succeeded byDavid Honeyford
Personal details
Born (1954-11-11) 11 November 1954
NationalityIrish
Political partySDLP
Spouse
Rosemary Catney
​
(m. 1982)​
Children4
OccupationPolitician
Websitewebsite

Early life

Catney was born in 1954 to Eileen (née McDonald, died in 2020) and James Catney, who ran the Kitchen Bar in Belfast, having previously run the Liverpool Bar on Donegall Quay. Before entering politics, Catney ran the Kitchen Bar, and was involved in the running of the parish centre at St Patrick's Church in Lisburn.[1][2]

Political career

He was elected to Lisburn City Council in 2011,[3] and served as a councillor until he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Lagan Valley constituency in the March 2017 election.[4] He currently serves as the SDLP spokesperson for Small Business and Innovation.[5]

Catney's office was picketed by Britain First supporters in 2018, for which the motive was unclear. Catney responded by saying "Such actions didn't deter me then, and Saturday’s empty protest by this group will not deter me now," adding that "Lisburn is a city for all, Catholic, Protestant and dissenter – any message that undermines the good relations of this great city is not welcome."[6]

In 2020, Catney put forward legislation in the Assembly to make period products available free in all schools, colleges and public buildings, to combat period poverty.[7][8] The bill was passed into law in March 2022.[9][10]

He lost his seat in the May 2022 Assembly election, with the Alliance Party's David Honeyford taking the seat in the seventh count.

Catney announced he would be standing in the 2023 Northern Ireland local elections[11] and was later confirmed as the SDLP candidate for Lisburn North.[12] At the election on 19 May 2023, Catney was elected on the fourth count.[13]

Personal life

Catney married his wife Rosemary in 1982, and the couple have four children.[2]

References
  1. McAleer, Ryan (17 February 2020). "Funeral to take place of well-known Belfast publican Eileen Catney". The Irish News. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  2. McNeilly, Claire (18 December 2017). "SDLP's Pat Catney: As a family we felt a real sense of shame after my brother Jim admitted sexually assaulting a young girl". Belfast Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  3. "People - Pat Catney". SDLP. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  4. "NI Election 2017 - Lagan Valley". BBC News. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  5. "Lagan Valley MLA". Social Democratic and Labour Party. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  6. "Britain First protest won't deter SDLP's Pat Catney from doing his job". The Irish News. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  7. "Period Products (Free Provision) Bill". Northern Ireland Assembly. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  8. cassoscoop (2 December 2020). "SDLP launches Period Poverty consultation – Derry Daily". Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  9. "Bill passed to make period products free in schools". News Letter. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  10. McCambridge, Jonathan (24 March 2022). "Legislation to make period products freely available in NI passed by Assembly". BelfastLive. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  11. Hughes, Brendan (1 February 2023). "Former MLA to stand in NI council elections". BelfastLive. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  12. "Pat Catney returns to politics as SDLP announce Lisburn and Castlereagh candidates". Belfast Media Group.
  13. McMahon, Donal (20 May 2023). "Lisburn and Castlereagh election results in full as Alliance surge". BelfastLive.


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