Foyle - MARTINA ANDERSON, MLA
MARTINA ANDERSON was born and raised in the Bogside area of Derry. One of ten children - 7 girls and 3 boys - Martina was born into a mixed relationship, her mother being Catholic and father a Protestant. Martina received her early education at Long Tower primary school and secondary education at St Cecilia’s College. Martina also holds a First Class Honours Degree in Social Sciences. Although too young to participate at the time, Martina learned of the campaign for equality by the Civil Rights Association from her older siblings and her mother Betty. Her political development was greatly influenced by constant British Army and RUC raids on her home and those of neighbours as well as the many stories of the state oppression ofthe legitimate demands of the Civil Rights Campaign by the Unionist government.
Seeing no tolerance for peaceful political protest Martina joined the republican movement in the early 70's. She has been involved with Republican politics ever since.
Having spent over 13 years in prison, 10 of which were spent in English jails, she was released in Nov 1998, under the terms of the GFA and immediately immersed herself in promoting the Sinn Féin Peace Strategy.
Since then she has held several senior positions in the Party structures including serving on the Ard Chomhairle (National Executive) and as all-Ireland Political Co-Ordinatorwith the task of promoting, upgrading and mainstreaming the all-Ireland Strategy.
In March 2006 she was appointed SF's Director of Unionist Engagement as part of the Party's Outreach Programme. In this capacity Martina met regularly with a broad spectrum of members of the Unionist community including Church Leaders, business, community, political and Trade Union representatives.
Martina was elected to the Assembly as a Member for Foyle in March 2007 and has been a strong voice for the disadvantaged across society as the Party Spokesperson on Equality and Human Rights. Since her election Martina has also been an effective champion for regeneration and ‘Building Derry’s Future’. This was demonstrated as a part of her ‘Stand up for Derry’ campaign when she exposed attempts to place the ‘Project Kelvin’ tele-house in Coleraine sparking a campaign that forced Arlene Foster to rescind that decision and place the project in Derry as originally intended. She is also a tireless campaigner for the upgrading of Magee Campus including a Medical Faculty and expedited delivery of the ILEX regeneration process.
Following Sinn Féin’s historic decision to participate in policing structures on 31st May 2007 Martina was appointed along with Party colleagues, Alex Maskey and Daithí McKay as members of the Policing Board and immediately upon taking up her position on the Board became an outspoken advocate of accountable policing and diligent in her task of holding the PSNI to account.
Contact Details: Unit R3d/e, Ráth Mór Business Park, Blighs Lane, Derry. BT48 0LZ
Tel: 02871377551 Web: www.derrysinnfein.ie