A key member of Sinn Féin’s national leadership since 2003, Declan is currently the Sinn Féin MLA for South Antrim, first elected in 2016.
Since 2016, Declan has served on several Assembly committees including the Committee for Justice, the Public Accounts Committee, the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee.
He also held the position of Junior Minister with The Executive Office from January 2020 until May 2022 when the DUP collapsed the Assembly.
As National Chairperson, Declan is central to Sinn Féin’s all-Ireland development, its negotiations and reconciliation strategies, and plays a leading role within the Party’s International Department.