P J BRADLEY MLA (SDLP)

P J Bradley was born in 1940 and was educated at St Colman's, Newry and Warrenpoint Technical College. He is married with five daughters and three sons. He is a former surveyor and a fellow of the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute.  He was first elected to Newry and Mourne District Council in 1981.  He is Party Spokesperson for Agriculture and Rural Development.  He has been an MLA for South Down since 1998 and was successfully re-elected in 2007 ahead of party colleague Margaret Ritchie MLA. Bradley is a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and the Business Committee in the Assembly.

WILLIE CLARKE MLA (SF)

William Clarke is married with one daughter.  He was elected to Down District Council for the Newcastle area in 2001.  He was Vice-Chair of the Council’s Cultural and Economic Development Committee.  His interests include tourism, waste management and the preservation of the Mournes. Willie is Sinn Féin Party Spokesperson on the Fishing Industry.  He has been an MLA since 2003 and in 2007 increased his first preference vote by over 1000. Clarke is a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, the Regional Development Committee, the Committee on Procedures and is Deputy Chair of the Committee on Standards and Privileges in the Assembly.

JOHN MCCALLISTER MLA (UUP)

John McCallister is a full-time dairy farmer and has great interest in farming and agriculture.  As well as a member of the UUP Agricultural Policy team he is a former President of the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster (2003–2005), and a former Director of Rural Support, a sign posting charity from (2004–2005).  McCallister is also interested in the areas of education, health and the Mourne National Park.  He was elected to the Assembly in 2007, holding former UUP MLA Dermot Nesbitt’s seat. McCallister is a member of the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee and the Regional Development Committee in the Assembly.

MARGARET RITCHIE MLA (SDLP)

Margaret Ritchie has been a member of Down District Council since 1985. She has served as Chair of all Council committees and was Chair of the Council itself in 1993/94.  Margaret was assistant to Eddie McGrady MP (former MLA) for 16 years and is a member of the SDLP's General Council.  Ritchie's political interests include health, the environment, provision of recreational facilities for the young, the economy and Europe.  Margaret has also served as an alternate member of the European Committee of the Regions.  She has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly since 2003.  Ritchie is the only SDLP Minister in the Executive taking on the portfolio as Minister for Social Development.

CAITRÍONA RUANE MLA (SF)

Caitríona Ruane was born in July 1963.  She lives in Carlingford, Co. Louth and is married with two children. A former aid worker and tennis professional, she was Director of Féile An Phobail/West Belfast Festival from 1997 to 2001.  She was Coordinator of the "Bring Them Home" campaign for the release of three IRA members arrested in Colombia.  Ruane was first elected to the Assembly in 2003 and in the 2007 Assembly Election she topped the poll in South Down.  Caitríona is Minister for Education in the Assembly Executive.

JIM WELLS MLA (DUP)

Jim Wells was born in Lurgan in 1957. He graduated from Queen's University Belfast with a BA Hons in Geography and a Diploma in Town and Country Planning.  A former Assistant Public Affairs Manager for the National Trust, he is married with three children. He served on the Housing Benefit Review Board and was a member of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee in the 1998-2003 Assembly.   Wells was appointed Deputy Presiding Officer of the Assembly in May 2006. Although a keen environmentalist, Wells resigned as DUP Environment Spokesperson as his views no longer coincided with the opinions of his Assembly colleagues.  In the 2003 Assembly Election he topped the poll in South Down and he was safely re-elected in 2007 on the tenth count. Wells is Deputy Chair of the Regional Development Committee and a member of the OFMDFM Committee in the Assembly. Jim is Party Spokesperson for Regional Development.