Danny Kennedy (politician)

Danny Kennedy
Chairman of the Ulster Unionist Party
In office
23 December 2019 – 21 May 2022
LeaderSteve Aiken
Doug Beattie
Preceded byReg Empey
Succeeded byJill Macauley
Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly
In office
11 May 2016 – 29 June 2017
Preceded byRoy Beggs Jr
Succeeded byRoy Beggs Jr
Minister for Regional Development
In office
16 May 2011 – 1 September 2015
First MinisterPeter Robinson
Preceded byConor Murphy
Succeeded byMichelle McIlveen
Minister for Employment and Learning
In office
27 October 2010 – 5 May 2011
First MinisterPeter Robinson
Preceded bySir Reg Empey
Succeeded byStephen Farry
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Newry and Armagh
In office
25 June 1998 – 26 January 2017
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Member of
Newry and Mourne District Council
In office
15 May 1985 – 5 May 2011
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byDavid Taylor
ConstituencyThe Fews
Northern Ireland Forum Member
for Newry and Armagh
In office
30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Preceded byForum established
Succeeded byForum dissolved
Personal details
Born (1959-07-06) 6 July 1959 (age 65)
Bessbrook, Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyUlster Unionist Party
SpouseKaren
Children3

Danny Kennedy (born 6 July 1959) is a Northern Irish unionist politician who served as Chairman of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) from December 2019 to May 2022. Kennedy previously served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Newry and Armagh from 1998 to 2017.

He was formerly deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly Group. He served in the Northern Ireland Executive as Minister for Regional Development from 2011 to 2015. On 12 May 2016, Kennedy was elected as Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. It was confirmed that he had lost his seat as an MLA for Newry and Armagh on 3 March 2017.