Paul Givan

Givan was educated at Laurelhill Community College, where he studied Business and History, and is a graduate of the University of Ulster, where he obtained a degree in Business Studies and completed an Advanced Diploma in Management Practice. He was first elected to Lisburn City Council in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.dup.org.uk/default.htm|title=Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) – Northern Ireland|accessdate=6 May 2016|archive-date=15 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315125612/http://www.dup.org.uk/default.htm|url-status=live}} His father, Alan Givan, was a prison officer with the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) who later became a DUP councillor in Lisburn.{{Cite news |date=2018-04-16 |title='Dad was heading to the hospital to visit mum who was giving birth for the first time and there was a letter bomb from the IRA waiting for him' |language=en-GB |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dad-was-heading-to-the-hospital-to-visit-mum-who-was-giving-birth-for-the-first-time-and-there-was-a-letter-bomb-from-the-ira-waiting-for-him/36804979.html |access-date=2023-08-28 |issn=0307-1235}}

Givan was born and raised in Lisburn. However, he is partially of County Monaghan descent, one section of his family having come from Ballybay in County Monaghan. Shortly after the Partition of Ireland in the early 1920s, this section of his family moved north from County Monaghan to County Tyrone.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-17 |title=Coveney acknowledges hurt among minorities on both sides of border |url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/irish-minister-acknowledges-hurt-among-minorities-on-both-sides-of-border-1185932.html |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=BreakingNews.ie |language=en}} It was near Dungannon in South Tyrone that his paternal grandfather, Herbie Givan, was born and raised. Herbie later became one of the foundational members of the DUP.{{Cite news |title=Leader will focus on 'shared future' agenda in address to party meeting |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/leader-will-focus-on-shared-future-agenda-in-address-to-party-meeting-1.16684 |access-date=2023-08-28 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}

According to a 2014 article in the Belfast Telegraph, Givan's "first experience of 'real politics' came when he was 18", at which time he was part-time assistant in the constituency and Stormont offices of Edwin Poots.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/paul-givan-conscience-clause-mla-a-politician-on-a-mission-30850887.html|title=Paul Givan: Conscience clause MLA a politician on a mission|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=19 December 2014|archive-date=29 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229005917/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/paul-givan-conscience-clause-mla-a-politician-on-a-mission-30850887.html|url-status=live}} He was later to work as a special adviser when Poots was Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure between 2007 and 2008, and then again between 2009 and 2010 when he was Minister of the Environment. Givan has stated that his interest in the DUP resulted from listening to Ian Paisley – at a rally against the Good Friday Agreement in Kilkeel.{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-57401974 | work = BBC News | title = Paul Givan: How will the new first minister handle the top job? | date = 8 June 2021 | access-date = 8 June 2021 | archive-date = 8 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210608124320/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-57401974 | url-status = live }} "He captured me emotionally for the DUP and Peter Robinson's and Nigel Dodds' forensic analysis of the failing of the Agreement captured me intellectually", he said.

Givan was first co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2010, replacing Jeffrey Donaldson.{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/uk-ireland/givan-to-take-up-donaldsons-role-14839847.html|title=Givan to take up Donaldson's role|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=6 May 2016|archive-date=14 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614065504/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/uk-ireland/givan-to-take-up-donaldsons-role-14839847.html|url-status=live}}

In May 2016, Givan was appointed Minister for Communities.{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/northern-ireland-executive-ministers-named-independent-sugden-named-justice-minister-dup-and-sinn-fein-choose-ministries-34745359.html|title=Northern Ireland Executive ministers named: Independent Sugden named Justice Minister – DUP and Sinn Fein choose ministries|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=25 May 2016|archive-date=10 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510140253/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/northern-ireland-executive-ministers-named-independent-sugden-named-justice-minister-dup-and-sinn-fein-choose-ministries-34745359.html|url-status=live}} As sports minister in November 2016, he visited a GAA club in Lisburn to award a grant and played Gaelic football with some child players of the club.{{cite news|author=Simpson, Mark|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38098421|title=Paul Givan: DUP sports minister's first appearance on GAA pitch|work=BBC News|date=25 November 2016|access-date=17 June 2021|archive-date=8 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608150033/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38098421|url-status=live}}

In May 2021, there was speculation that Givan, having worked for Edwin Poots previously, might be nominated to become First Minister of Northern Ireland after Poots was elected DUP leader.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/paul-givan-could-become-first-minister-if-poots-wins-dup-leadership-40379125.html|title=Paul Givan could become First Minister if Poots wins DUP leadership|work=Belfast Telegraph|author=Breen, Suzanne|date=2 May 2021|access-date=17 June 2021|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504120827/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/paul-givan-could-become-first-minister-if-poots-wins-dup-leadership-40379125.html|url-status=live}} On 8 June 2021, Poots introduced Givan as "Northern Ireland's first minister designate".{{cite news |url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/paul-givan-named-as-northern-ireland-s-first-minister-designate-1.4587455 |newspaper = The Irish Times |author = Hutton, Brian |title = Paul Givan named as Northern Ireland's first minister designate |date = 8 June 2021 |access-date = 17 June 2021 |archive-date = 8 June 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210608131515/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/paul-givan-named-as-northern-ireland-s-first-minister-designate-1.4587455 |url-status = live }} At age 39, Givan was the youngest First Minister in Northern Ireland's history.

On 17 June 2021, a letter from the DUP party chairman and other senior party members asked Poots to delay Givan's nomination as First Minister to oppose the British government's decision to introduce Irish language legislation in the Westminster Parliament. However, Poots nominated Givan as First Minister and Sinn Féin re-nominated Michelle O'Neill as deputy First Minister, restoring the Northern Ireland Executive. Prior to this nomination DUP officials objected to Givan being nominated for the role. As such, within hours of his being sworn in as First Minister, Givan's DUP colleagues convened a party meeting to oust Poots as the leader of the party. Poots resigned shortly after,{{cite news |title=DUP leader Edwin Poots quits after revolt in party |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/edwin-poots-dup-resign-stormont-b1868150.html |publisher=Independent |website=independent.co.uk |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=18 June 2021 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624231432/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/edwin-poots-dup-resign-stormont-b1868150.html |url-status=live }} triggering another leadership contest.{{cite news |title=Edwin Poots is to stand down as DUP leader |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/edwin-poots-is-to-stand-down-as-dup-leader-1.4595941 |agency=Irish Times |access-date=18 June 2021 |archive-date=18 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618014117/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/edwin-poots-is-to-stand-down-as-dup-leader-1.4595941 |url-status=live }}

On 19 June it was reported Givan would be required to resign as First Minister once the next DUP leader had been chosen.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57538844|title=DUP: Paul Givan told he must resign as first minister|work=BBC News|date=19 June 2021|accessdate=19 June 2021|archive-date=19 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619111729/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57538844|url-status=live}} However, in July, the Irish News said Givan was expected to remain in his position until "later this year" after the new DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said in a UTV interview that he intended to resign his seat as a Westminster MP and become First Minister before the planned 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, but also said that he did not yet know precisely how he would bring this about.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2021/07/06/news/paul-givan-expected-expected-stay-on-as-first-minister-until-later-this-year--2377681/|title=Paul Givan to stay on as first minister 'until later this year'|publisher=Irish News|work=|author=|agency=|date=6 June 2021|accessdate=10 July 2021|quote=Paul Givan is set to remain as First Minister for the summer when Sir Jeffrey Donaldson announces changes later within his party at the Stormont Assembly. Sir Jeffrey intends to stand down from his Westminster seat in Lagan Valley and take a place at Stormont. In a UTV interview on Monday evening, he said he hoped to do so "later this year" and take up the position of first minister before the next assembly election. However, he said he did not know yet exactly how he would make this happen.|archive-date=6 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706065516/https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2021/07/06/news/paul-givan-expected-expected-stay-on-as-first-minister-until-later-this-year--2377681/|url-status=live}}

On 3 February 2022, Givan announced his resignation as First Minister, as part of DUP protests against the Northern Ireland Protocol. He became Northern Ireland's shortest serving First Minister, having spent 231 days in office.{{Cite news |date=2022-02-03 |title=Profile: Paul Givan's political career |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60242819 |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Givan retained his seat as an MLA for Lagan Valley in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election.{{cite web|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2022/northern-ireland/constituencies/N06000009 | publisher = BBC News | website = bbc.com | title = Elections 2022 - Lagan Valley election result | date = 6 May 2022 | accessdate = 6 May 2022 }}

Givan was appointed Minister of Education following the formation of the Executive of the 7th Northern Ireland Assembly on 3 February 2024. He had previously been tipped for the role of deputy First Minister.

Following his appointment, on 8 February 2024, Givan set out his key priorities for education after visiting Rathmore Grammar School. He said he has "ambitious plans to invest in our schools’ estate..."{{Cite web |date=2024-02-08 |title=Minister pledges to deliver on key priorities for Education |url=https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/minister-pledges-deliver-key-priorities-education |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Education |language=en}} He said he wanted the "gap to close" between wages for school staff in Northern Ireland and their counterparts in Great Britain.{{Cite news |date=2024-02-08 |title=Paul Givan: DUP education minister wants to close gap on pay |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68241380 |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} On 12 February 2024, in his first Ministerial statement in the assembly, he set out plans for capital investment across the education sector.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-12 |title=Minister’s statement on Sustainable Investment in Education Infrastructure |url=https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/ministers-statement-sustainable-investment-education-infrastructure |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Education |language=en}} Givan subsequently announced that new build projects for seven schools across Northern Ireland would progress in planning.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-20 |title=Seven New Schools to Progress in Planning |url=https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/seven-new-schools-progress-planning |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Education |language=en}}

In 2007, Givan made comments that characterised him as a creationist and was responsible for a motion calling for schools in Lisburn to teach creationist alternatives to evolution.{{cite web | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/paul-givan-dup-northern-ireland-b1861747.html | publisher = The Independent | website = independent.co.uk | title = DUP's Paul Givan to succeed Arlene Foster as Northern Ireland's first minister | date = 8 June 2021 | accessdate = 8 June 2021 | quote = Mr Givan [is] a creationist who has in the past supported the teaching of alternatives to evolution in schools | archive-date = 8 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210608124655/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/paul-givan-dup-northern-ireland-b1861747.html | url-status = live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.lisburntoday.co.uk/news/row-brews-over-dup-call-for-schools-to-teach-creationism-1-1639291|title=Row Brews Over Dup Call For Schools To Teach Creationism - Ulster Star|website=Lisburntoday.co.uk|date=20 September 2007|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200222093205/http://www.lisburntoday.co.uk/news/row-brews-over-dup-call-for-schools-to-teach-creationism-1-1639291 | archivedate = 22 February 2020 }} The motion was passed by Lisburn City Council and asked all post-primary schools in the area what plans they had to "develop teaching material in relation to creation, intelligent design and other theories of origin".{{cite journal |last1=McCrory |first1=Conor |last2=Murphy |first2=Colette |title=The Growing Visibility of Creationism in Northern Ireland: Are New Science Teachers Equipped to Deal with the Issues? |journal=Evolution: Education and Outreach |date=2009 |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=372–385 |doi=10.1007/s12052-009-0141-4 |language=en |issn=1936-6434|doi-access=free }} He is also opposed to abortion in Northern Ireland.{{Cite news |date=2021-07-29 |title=NI abortion: Givan vows to resist commissioning order |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-58018850 |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Givan supported Edwin Poots' successful bid to become leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in May 2021, alongside Mervyn Storey and Paul Frew.{{Cite news |date=2021-05-05 |title=DUP leadership race: All you need to know about the contest |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-56979740 |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

In 2014, a formal complaint was made by a sex worker, Laura Lee, over Givan's treatment of her after she had been invited to appear at a hearing to discuss proposed changes to prostitution legislation in Northern Ireland. He had asked her how much she charged, and said she was exploiting disabled people by not giving them discounts.{{cite news|last=Clarke|first=Liam|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/prostitute-in-formal-complaint-to-assembly-over-grilling-by-dup-man-30022110.html|title=Prostitute in formal complaint to Assembly over grilling by DUP man|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph|publisher=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk|date=19 February 2014|accessdate=6 May 2016|archive-date=19 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419015656/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/prostitute-in-formal-complaint-to-assembly-over-grilling-by-dup-man-30022110.html|url-status=live}}

In February 2015, Givan proposed a Northern Ireland Freedom of Conscience Amendment Bill, after controversy and legal action arose when Ashers Baking Company, a business owned by a religious family, refused to bake and decorate a cake with a message supportive of same-sex marriage.{{cite web|url=http://www.mydup.com/news/article/dup-meet-catholic-bishops-to-discuss-protection-of-religious-freedom|title=DUP Meet Catholic Bishops to Discuss Protection of Religious Freedom|accessdate=6 May 2016|archive-date=1 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601040204/http://www.mydup.com/news/article/dup-meet-catholic-bishops-to-discuss-protection-of-religious-freedom|url-status=live}} This motion led to a petition against the bill, which received 100,000 signatures in 48 hours.{{cite web|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/02/26/over-148000-sign-petition-against-anti-gay-northern-ireland-conscience-clause-bill/|title=Over 148,000 sign petition against anti-gay Northern Ireland conscience clause bill|work=PinkNews|date=26 February 2015|accessdate=6 May 2016|archive-date=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603124617/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/02/26/over-148000-sign-petition-against-anti-gay-northern-ireland-conscience-clause-bill/|url-status=live}} The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission subsequently published an advisory noting that the "underlying premise" of the proposed bill (that "freedom to manifest one’s religion is undermined by the protection of individuals from discrimination") was unfounded, and that the Northern Ireland Assembly could not enact laws incompatible with existing conventions on human rights.{{cite web | url = https://nihrc.org/publication/detail/advice-on-freedom-of-conscience-bill | publisher = Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission | website = nihrc.org | title = Advice on Freedom of Conscience BIll | accessdate = 8 June 2021 | archive-date = 8 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210608164358/https://nihrc.org/publication/detail/advice-on-freedom-of-conscience-bill | url-status = live }} In October 2018, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled that the refusal of service had not been discriminatory as it related to the customer's choice of order and not the customer's sexual orientation.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-45789759 |title=Ashers 'gay cake' row: Bakers win Supreme Court appeal |publisher=BBC News |website=bbc.com |date=10 October 2018 |accessdate=11 May 2021 |archive-date=10 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810215538/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-45789759 |url-status=live }}

In December 2016, Givan cut funding for the Líofa scheme, which enabled people to go to the Donegal Gaeltacht to learn Irish. This decision prompted Gerry Adams to label him as an "ignoramus",{{cite news|title=RHI scandal: Gerry Adams says Sinn Féin will act over fiasco|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38541704|accessdate=11 January 2017|work=BBC News|date=8 January 2017|archive-date=10 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110160559/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38541704|url-status=live}} and Martin McGuinness described the removal of the Bursary Scheme as "the straw that broke the camel's back" in his resignation speech from the role of deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland leading to a political crisis in the Stormont Executive.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38561507|title=Martin McGuinness resigns as NI deputy first minister|date=10 January 2017|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=5 March 2017|archive-date=9 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109151844/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38561507|url-status=live}} Givan later tweeted that the "decision on the Líofa Bursary Scheme was not a political decision. I have now identified the necessary funding to advance this scheme."{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-in-irish-language-cash-uturn-as-minister-paul-givan-reinstates-liofa-money-35361893.html|title=Liofa: DUP Irish language U-turn 'olive branch' rejected by Sinn Fein – countdown to election continues|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|accessdate=5 March 2017|archive-date=23 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923155737/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/liofa-dup-irish-language-u-turn-olive-branch-rejected-by-sinn-fein-countdown-to-election-continues-35361893.html|url-status=live}}

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Category:1981 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Ulster University

Category:Christian creationists

Category:Democratic Unionist Party MLAs

Category:Members of Lisburn City Council

Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2007–2011

Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2011–2016

Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2016–2017

Category:Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive (since 1999)

Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2017–2022

Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2022–2027

Category:First ministers of Northern Ireland