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Committee for Communities

North Irish government entity

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
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Source updated January 18, 2026

The Committee for Communities is a Northern Ireland Assembly committee established to advise, assist and scrutinise the work of the Department for Communities and Minister for Communities (currently Gordon Lyons). The committee also plays a key role in the consultation, consideration and development of new social development legislation.

Until 2016, the committee was called the Committee for Social Development.

01Membership

Membership of the committee is as follows:

Party Member Constituency
Sinn Féin Colm Gildernew MLA (Chairperson) Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Sinn Féin Nicola Brogan MLA (Deputy Chairperson) West Tyrone
UUP Andy Allen MLA Belfast East
Alliance Kellie Armstrong MLA Strangford
DUP Maurice Bradley MLA East Londonderry
DUP Pam Cameron MLA South Antrim
SDLP Mark H. Durkan MLA Foyle
Sinn Féin Maolíosa McHugh MLA West Tyrone
Alliance Sian Mulholland MLA North Antrim

022022-2027 Assembly

Party Member Constituency
Sinn Féin Colm Gildernew MLA (Chairperson) Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Sinn Féin Ciara Ferguson MLA (Deputy Chairperson) Foyle
UUP Andy Allen MLA Belfast East
Alliance Kellie Armstrong MLA Strangford
DUP Maurice Bradley MLA East Londonderry
DUP Brian Kingston MLA Belfast North
SDLP Daniel McCrossan MLA West Tyrone
Sinn Féin Maolíosa McHugh MLA West Tyrone
Alliance Sian Mulholland MLA North Antrim

Changes 2022-2027

Date Outgoing member and party Constituency → New member and party Constituency
6 February 2025 Ciara Ferguson MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) Foyle → Nicola Brogan MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) West Tyrone
8 September 2025 Daniel McCrossan MLA (SDLP) West Tyrone → Mark H. Durkan MLA (SDLP) Foyle
23 September 2025 Brian Kingston MLA (DUP) Belfast North → Pam Cameron MLA (DUP) South Antrim

032017-2022 Assembly

The committee met for the first time in the 2017-2022 Assembly on 23 January 2020.

Party Member Constituency
DUP Paula Bradley MLA (Chairperson) Belfast North
Alliance Kellie Armstrong MLA (Deputy Chairperson) Strangford
UUP Andy Allen MLA Belfast East
DUP Jonathan Buckley MLA Upper Bann
SDLP Mark H. Durkan MLA Foyle
Sinn Féin Sinéad Ennis MLA South Down
DUP Robin Newton MLA Belfast East
Sinn Féin Carál Ní Chuilín MLA Belfast North
Sinn Féin Emma Sheerin MLA Mid Ulster

Changes 2017-2022

Date Outgoing member and party Constituency → New member and party Constituency
9 March 2020 Emma Sheerin MLA (Sinn Féin) Mid Ulster → Fra McCann MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast West
17 June 2020 Carál Ní Chuilín MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast North → Vacant
2 November 2020 Jonathan Buckley MLA (DUP) Upper Bann → Alex Easton MLA (DUP) North Down
16 December 2020 Vacant → Carál Ní Chuilín MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast North
1 February 2021 Carál Ní Chuilín MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast North → Karen Mullan MLA (Sinn Féin) Foyle
21 June 2021 Robin Newton MLA (DUP) Belfast East → Pam Cameron MLA (DUP) South Antrim
15 September 2021 Sinéad Ennis MLA (Sinn Féin) South Down → Áine Murphy MLA (Sinn Féin) Fermanagh and South Tyrone
20 September 2021 Pam Cameron MLA (DUP) South Antrim → Stephen Dunne MLA (DUP) North Down
Alex Easton MLA (DUP) North Down Paul Frew MLA (DUP) North Antrim
27 September 2021 Karen Mullan MLA (Sinn Féin) Foyle → Ciara Ferguson MLA (Sinn Féin) Foyle
1 November 2021 Fra McCann MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast West → Aisling Reilly MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast West

042016-2017 Assembly

The committee met for the first time in the 2016-2017 Assembly on 2 June 2016.

Party Member Constituency
SDLP Colum Eastwood MLA (Chairperson) Foyle
Sinn Féin Michelle Gildernew MLA (Deputy Chairperson) Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Green (NI) Steven Agnew MLA North Down
UUP Andy Allen MLA Belfast East
DUP Jonathan Bell MLA Strangford
Alliance Naomi Long MLA Belfast East
Sinn Féin Fra McCann MLA Belfast West
DUP Adrian McQuillan MLA East Londonderry
SDLP Nichola Mallon MLA Belfast North
Sinn Féin Carál Ní Chuilín MLA Belfast North
DUP Christopher Stalford MLA Belfast South

Changes 2016-2017

None

052011-2016 Assembly

The committee met for the first time in the 2011-2016 Assembly in May 2011.

Party Member Constituency
Sinn Féin Alex Maskey MLA (Chairperson) Belfast South
Sinn Féin Mickey Brady MLA (Deputy Chairperson) Newry and Armagh
DUP Gregory Campbell MLA East Londonderry
Alliance Judith Cochrane MLA Belfast East
UUP Michael Copeland MLA Belfast East
DUP Pam Cameron MLA South Antrim
DUP Sammy Douglas MLA Belfast East
SDLP Mark H. Durkan MLA Foyle
DUP Alex Easton MLA North Down
Sinn Féin Fra McCann MLA Belfast West
Ind. Unionist David McClarty MLA East Londonderry

Changes 2011-2016

Date Outgoing member and party Constituency → New member and party Constituency
20 February 2012 Gregory Campbell MLA (DUP) East Londonderry → Paula Bradley MLA (DUP) Belfast North
26 March 2012 Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East → Alastair Ross MLA (DUP) East Antrim
1 October 2012 Alex Easton MLA (DUP) North Down → Gregory Campbell MLA (DUP) East Londonderry
Alastair Ross MLA (DUP) East Antrim Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East
11 February 2013 Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East → Sydney Anderson MLA (DUP) Upper Bann
7 May 2013 Sydney Anderson MLA (DUP) Upper Bann → Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East
9 September 2013 David McClarty MLA (Ind. Unionist) East Londonderry → Jim Allister MLA (TUV) North Antrim
16 September 2013 Pam Cameron MLA (DUP) South Antrim → Trevor Clarke MLA (DUP) South Antrim
Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East Sammy Wilson MLA (DUP) East Antrim
30 September 2013 Mark H. Durkan MLA (SDLP) Foyle → Dolores Kelly MLA (SDLP) Upper Bann
1 October 2013 Judith Cochrane MLA (Alliance) Belfast East → Stewart Dickson MLA (Alliance) East Antrim
6 October 2014 Trevor Clarke MLA (DUP) South Antrim → Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East
17 November 2014 Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East → Maurice Devenney MLA (DUP) Foyle
9 February 2015 Michael Copeland MLA (UUP) Belfast East → Roy Beggs Jr MLA (UUP) East Antrim
25 March 2015 Maurice Devenney MLA (DUP) Foyle → Vacant
22 April 2015 Vacant → Gary Middleton MLA (DUP) Foyle
19 May 2015 Gary Middleton MLA (DUP) Foyle → Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) Belfast East
8 September 2015 Mickey Brady MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) Newry and Armagh → Fra McCann MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) Belfast West
29 July 2015 Sammy Wilson MLA (DUP) East Antrim → Vacant
7 September 2015 Vacant → Gordon Lyons MLA (DUP) East Antrim
14 September 2015 Fra McCann MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast West → Phil Flanagan MLA (Sinn Féin) Fermanagh and South Tyrone
5 October 2015 Gordon Lyons MLA (DUP) East Antrim → Adrian McQuillan MLA (DUP) East Londonderry

062007-2011 Assembly

The committee met for the first time in the 2007-2011 Assembly in May 2007.

Party Member Constituency
DUP Gregory Campbell MLA (Chairperson) East Londonderry
DUP David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson) East Antrim
Sinn Féin Mickey Brady MLA Newry and Armagh
SDLP Thomas Burns MLA South Antrim
UUP Fred Cobain MLA Belfast North
DUP Jonathan Craig MLA Lagan Valley
Alliance Anna Lo MLA Belfast South
SDLP Alban Maginness MLA Belfast North
Sinn Féin Fra McCann MLA Belfast West
Sinn Féin Claire McGill MLA West Tyrone
DUP Michelle McIlveen MLA Strangford

Changes 2007-2011

Date Outgoing member and party Constituency → New member and party Constituency
20 May 2008 Claire McGill MLA (Sinn Féin) West Tyrone → Carál Ní Chuilín MLA (Sinn Féin) Belfast North
9 June 2008 Gregory Campbell MLA (Chairperson, DUP) East Londonderry → David Simpson MLA (Chairperson, DUP) Upper Bann
29 September 2008 Fred Cobain MLA (UUP) Belfast North → Billy Armstrong MLA (UUP) Mid Ulster
29 June 2009 Alban Maginness MLA (SDLP) Belfast North → Mary Bradley MLA (SDLP) Foyle
4 July 2009 Simon Hamilton MLA (Chairperson, DUP) Strangford → David Simpson MLA (Chairperson, DUP) Upper Bann
14 September 2009 Michelle McIlveen MLA (DUP) Strangford → Alex Easton MLA (DUP) North Down
14 April 2010 David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson, DUP) East Antrim → Carál Ní Chuilín MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) Belfast North
25 May 2010 Thomas Burns MLA (SDLP) South Antrim → Tommy Gallagher MLA (SDLP) Fermanagh and South Tyrone
14 September 2010 David Hilditch MLA (DUP) East Antrim → Sydney Anderson MLA (DUP) Upper Bann
2 November 2010 Billy Armstrong MLA (UUP) Mid Ulster → John McCallister MLA (UUP) South Down
8 February 2011 John McCallister MLA (UUP) South Down → Fred Cobain MLA (UUP) Belfast North

071998-2003 Assembly

The committee met for the first time in the 1998-2003 Assembly in December 1999.

Party Member Constituency
UUP Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson) Belfast North
Sinn Féin Michelle Gildernew MLA Fermanagh and South Tyrone
UUP John Gorman MLA North Down
PUP Billy Hutchinson MLA Belfast North
UUP David McClarty MLA East Londonderry
SDLP Danny O'Connor MLA East Antrim
SDLP Eamonn O'Neill MLA South Down
DUP Mark Robinson MLA Belfast South
SDLP John Tierney MLA Foyle
DUP Sammy Wilson MLA Belfast East

Changes 1998-2003

Date Outgoing member and party Constituency → New member and party Constituency
1 March 2001 David McClarty MLA (UUP) East Londonderry → Tom Hamilton MLA (UUP) Strangford
1 July 2002 Michelle Gildernew MLA (Sinn Féin) Fermanagh and South Tyrone → Mary Nelis MLA (Sinn Féin) Foyle
8 April 2002 Vacant → Gerry Kelly MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) Belfast North
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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Committee for Communities”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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Committee

A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly or other form of organization. A committee may not itself be considered to be a form of assembly or a decision-making body.