Republican News · Thursday 4 July 2002

Sue Ramsey to become Assembly Chief Whip

Sinn Féin West Belfast MLA Sue Ramsey is to become Chief Whip of the party's Assembly team.

She will become the first woman Chief Whip of any of the major political parties and at 31, the youngest.

The move comes as part of a radical shake up of the Sinn Féin Assembly team.

She replaces Alex Maskey who has cut back on his Assembly responsibilities after being elected as the first Sinn Féin Mayor of Belfast.

Sue was elected to Lisburn Council in 1996 and as an Assembly member for West Belfast in 1998.

She is Chairperson of the Assembly All Party Group on Children, Deputy Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and the Sinn Féin lead member of the Health, Public Safety and Social Services Committee.

She is party spokesperson on Health and Children and Young People. Sue was born in Springhill in 1970 and has lived in Twinbrook since 1980.

Other changes include:

• Pat Doherty MP to replace Mick Murphy and join Gerry McHugh on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee to reflect the increasing concern that Sinn Féin has about the state of farming industry and the threats to our rural communities.
• Party Chair Mitchel McLaughlin to replace Barry McElduff and join Gerry McHugh on the Education Committee, to reflect party concerns at the increasingly sectarian approach to education of some Unionist Assembly members.
• Barry McElduff and Michelle Gildernew MP to form a new team on the Employment and Learning Committee - replacing John Kelly and Mary Nelis.
• Mary Nelis to join Gerry Kelly on the Social Development Committee - Gerry Kelly to remain Deputy Chair.
• Mary Nelis to move to the Environment Committee, joining Francie Molloy.
• John Kelly to become the new Deputy Chair of the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee (replacing Mary Nelis) where he is joined by Mick Murphy.
• Pat McNamee and Dr Dara O'Hagan to join Barry McElduff on the Committee of the Centre - replacing Alex Maskey and Conor Murphy.
• Mick Murphy to replace Pat McNamee as a member of the Standards and Privileges Committee.
• Conor Murphy to replace Sue Ramsey as Deputy Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.
• Pat McNamee will take on the Equality brief alongside his Human Rights brief.
• Conor Murphy will fill the new role of group leader.