Paul Givan

Paul Givan MLA
Minister for Communities
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley
Incumbent
Assumed office June 2010
Preceded by	Jeffrey Donaldson
Personal details
Born	12 October 1981 Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British
Political party	Democratic Unionist Party
Religion	Free Presbyterian

For the Privy Council member, see Sir Frederick Paul Girvan (judge)

For similarly named Unionist politician, see Paul Girvan

Paul Jonathan Givan (born 12 October 1981) is a Democratic Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland. He was co-opted in June 2010 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) member for Lagan Valley, replacing the previous MLA, Jeffrey Donaldson, MP.^[1] He was elected to the Assembly at the 2011 election.

Givan was educated at Laurelhill Community College, 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, aged 23.^[2] He is a creationist,^[3] and was responsible for a motion calling for schools in Lisburn to teach alternatives to the theory of evolution.^[4]

In 2014, a formal complaint was made by prostitute Laura Lee for his treatment of her after she had been invited to appear at a hearing to discuss proposed changes to prostitution legislation in Northern Ireland. Givan asked her how much she charged, and controversially accused her of exploiting disabled people for not giving them discounts.^[5]

In February 2015, Givan proposed a Northern Ireland Freedom of Conscience Amendment Bill, after controversy and legal action arose over a religious bakery, "Ashers Baking Company", having refused to bake a cake in support of same-sex marriage.^[6] This motion caused uproar on popular websites like Twitter, having led to an American petition against the bill, receiving 100,000 signatures in 48 hours.^[7] Stephen Fry promptly commented on this bill, saying that it was "sick" and that "once again the religious right twist truth to present themselves as victims".^[8]

In May 2016, Givan was appointed Minister for Communities ^[9]

References

1. "Givan to take up Donaldson's role". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
2. "Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - Northern Ireland". Retrieved 6 May 2016.
3. "ROW BREWS OVER DUP CALL FOR SCHOOLS TO TEACH CREATIONISM". Retrieved 6 May 2016.
4. "DUP CALL FOR SCHOOLS TO TEACH CREATION PASSED BY COUNCIL". Retrieved 6 May 2016.
5. Clarke, Liam (2014-02-19). "Prostitute in formal complaint to Assembly over grilling by DUP man". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
6. "News - DUP Meet Catholic Bishops to Discuss Protection of Religious Freedom - Democratic Unionist Party". Retrieved 6 May 2016.
7. "Over 148,000 sign petition against anti-gay Northern Ireland conscience clause bill". PinkNews. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
8. "Stephen Fry says DUP conscience clause bill is 'sick'". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
9. "Northern Ireland Executive ministers named: Independent Sugden named Justice Minister - DUP and Sinn Fein choose ministries - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-05-25.