Minister Department for Social Development

Margaret Ritchie was appointed Minister for Social Development on 8 May 2007.  She is a senior member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and an Assembly Member for South Down.

She was born in Downpatrick and has lived and worked in South Down throughout her life.  She graduated in Geography and Political Science from Queen’s University Belfast.  

Margaret was one of the SDLP’s key negotiators on the Assembly’s Programme for Government Committee and was heavily involved in drawing up policies and strategies for the now in-coming Executive and Assembly and also at St Andrew’s in October 2006.   

Margaret was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in November 2003 and was appointed as Deputy Chair of the SDLP Parliamentary Assembly Group.  She has also served as the Party’s Spokesperson on Regional Development and joined Down District Policing Partnership in 2002

She was first elected to Down District Council in 1985 and worked for some years as Eddie McGrady MP’s Parliamentary Assistant and Political Researcher.

Margaret’s political interests include the building of a Shared Future in Northern Ireland and encouraging joined up Government to address the needs of the vulnerable and the disadvantaged.

As Housing Minister she recently launched the ‘New Housing Agenda’ the first comprehensive housing action programme for Northern Ireland in over 30 years.

She enjoys reading, walking and the theatre.