Mark H. Durkan

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Mark H. Durkan

| honorific-suffix = MLA

| image = Mark H. Durkan, MLA 2024.jpg

| imagesize = 165px

| alt =

| caption =

| office1 = Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Foyle

| majority1 =

| term_start1 = 5 May 2011

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Mary Bradley

| successor1 =

| office = Minister of the Environment

| term_start = 16 July 2013

| term_end = 6 May 2016

| predecessor = Alex Attwood

| successor = abolished

| office2 = Member of
Derry City Council

| constituency2 = Northland

| term_start2 = 5 May 2005

| term_end2 = 5 May 2011

| predecessor2 = John Kerr

| successor2 = John Boyle

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|3|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Derry, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| birthname = Mark Henry Durkan

| nationality = Irish

| party = SDLP

| spouse = Anne Carlin

| children = 2

| relatives = Mark Durkan (uncle)

}}

Mark Henry Durkan (born 3 March 1978){{cite web|url=http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/details.aspx?&aff=2402&per=287&sel=1&ind=3&prv=0|title=MLA Details: Mr Mark Durkan|website=Aims.niassembly.gov.uk|accessdate=3 March 2017}} is a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician in Northern Ireland who was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011, representing the Foyle constituency.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/constituency/html/36717.stm|title=Election 2011 - Northern Ireland - Foyle|website=Bbc.co.uk|date=11 May 2011|accessdate=3 March 2017}}{{cite web|title=Derry Journal: The 'Durkan brand' gets Mark H elected|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/news/local/the-durkan-brand-gets-mark-h-elected-1-2663194|work=The Derry Journal|accessdate=23 August 2012}} He served as Minister of the Environment until the department was dissolved in 2016. He is currently the SDLP spokesperson for Social Justice.

Early life

Mark Durkan was born on 3 March 1978 to Patrick and Gay Durkan. He was one of six siblings. He studied in St Columb's College, Derry, before studying English at Queen's University, Belfast. After leaving university, he worked for Ulster Ceramics, and then as a shop assistant, until his election to Derry City Council in 2005.{{Cite news|last=McNeilly|first=Claire|title=Mark H Durkan on the sisters he lost to suicide and a car crash|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mark-h-durkan-on-the-sisters-he-lost-to-suicide-and-a-car-crash-36163397.html|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph}}

Work

Durkan was elected to Derry City Council in 2005 topping the poll with 2369 first preference votes.{{cite web|author=Dr Nicholas Whyte|url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgderry.htm|title=Derry City Council, 1993-2011|website=Ark.ac.uk|accessdate=3 March 2017}} He served on council until May 2011 sitting on the Western Health & Social Care Board and Western Education and Library Board.{{cite web|author=Mary Minihan|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0425/1224295410379.html|title=Assembly election: constituency profile|website=Irishtimes.com|date=25 April 2011|accessdate=2 March 2017}} After his election to the Assembly in May 2011 he served as his party's health spokesman from May 2011 to April 2012, and campaigned on the outbreak in January 2012 of pseudomonas at both [http://www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/hospitals/RoyalMaternity.htm Royal Jubilee Maternity Services (Belfast)] and Altnagelvin Area Hospital (Derry), which claimed the lives of several infants.{{cite web|url=http://www.sdlp.ie/index.php/newsroom_media/tagged_news/pseudomonas|title=SDLP|website=Sdlp.ie|accessdate=3 March 2017}}

It was on the NI Assembly's Social Development Committee from May 2011 to July 2013 where he really came to the fore working tirelessly and effectively on issues such as housing and to protect the most vulnerable in society from the negative impacts the Welfare Reform Bill.{{cite news|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/news/politics/latest/durkan-we-support-welfare-reform-not-unfair-reform-1-3560383|title=Durkan: We support welfare reform, not unfair reform|newspaper=Derry Journal|date=26 February 2012|accessdate=3 March 2017}}

As Environment Minister Mark H. Durkan has proposed reforms to the NI Planning system in order to make it fairer, faster and more fit for purpose.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25669866|title=Environment Minister Mark Durkan proposes reform to speed planning|publisher=BBC News|date=9 January 2014|accessdate=3 March 2017}} He is also considering an outright ban on election posters.{{cite news|last=Simpson|first=Mark|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26153767|title=Giro d'Italia: Mark H Durkan considers election poster blanket ban|date=12 February 2014|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=3 March 2017}}

Personal life

In 2006, Durkan sustained life-threatening injuries following a fall at his parents' home.

In his spare time, he regularly gives his time to charitable causes, which led him to compete in Ballroom and Latin Dancing competitions in his hometown,{{cite news|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/lifestyle/entertainment/pink_ladies_to_cha_cha_quick_step_and_jive_1_2412126|title=Pink Ladies to cha, cha, quick step and jive|newspaper=Derry Journal|date=14 February 2011|accessdate=3 March 2017}} and white-collar boxing bouts.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17028637|title=BBC News - Mark H Durkan has the eye of the tiger|website=Bbc.co.uk|date=14 February 2012|accessdate=3 March 2017}} He is a running enthusiast having completed several half marathons and the first ever Walled City Marathon in Derry on 2 June 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMuoo8UkQVo&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DDMuoo8UkQVo|title=A big congrats & Big good luck to Our boss Mark Durkan today running the marathon|website=M.youtube.com|date=2 June 2013|accessdate=3 March 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/sport/other-sports/slideshow-the-walled-city-marathon-2013-1-5156245|title=SLIDESHOW-The Walled City Marathon 2013|newspaper=Derry Journal|date=4 June 2013|accessdate=3 March 2017}}

Durkan married Anne Carlin on 13 July 2013,{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/sdlps-mark-h-durkan-becomes-new-man-on-the-high-wire-as-environment-minister-29425474.html|title=SDLP's Mark H Durkan becomes new man on the high wire as Environment Minister |newspaper=Belfasttelegraph|accessdate=3 March 2017}} and has three sons and a daughter. The family live in Strathfoyle. He is a nephew of former SDLP leader Mark Durkan.