Michelle Gildernew
Michelle Gildernew | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2014 | |
| Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development | |
| In office 8 May 2007 – 4 May 2011 | |
| First Minister | |
| Preceded by | Bríd Rodgers |
| Succeeded by | Michelle O'Neill |
| Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone | |
| In office 8 June 2017 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Elliot |
| Succeeded by | Pat Cullen |
| In office 7 June 2001 – 30 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Ken Maginnis |
| Succeeded by | Tom Elliott |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Fermanagh and South Tyrone | |
| In office 5 May 2016 – 9 June 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Bronwyn McGahan |
| Succeeded by | Colm Gildernew |
| In office 25 June 1998 – 1 July 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Bronwyn McGahan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 March 1970 Dungannon, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse | Jimmy Taggart |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Colm Gildernew (brother) |
| Alma mater | University of Ulster |
Michelle Angela Gildernew (born 28 March 1970) is an Irish former Sinn Féin politician from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone from 2017 to 2024, after previously holding the seat from 2001 to 2015.
Gildernew is a former Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Northern Ireland Executive. She was the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone from 2001 to 2015, and was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for the Assembly constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone from June 1998 to July 2012. She was re-elected to the Assembly in 2016 and 2017. In 2017 she reclaimed her Westminster seat from Tom Elliott of the Ulster Unionist Party. In 2019, she was re-elected with the smallest majority of any constituency in the UK, a margin of just 57 votes.
Gildernew was appointed as Sinn Féin's health spokesperson, and was a member of the party's Ard Chomhairle (National Executive). In the 2007–2011 Assembly, she served as Vice Chair of the Committee of Social Development and was a member of the Committee of the centre, as well as other statutory and ad-hoc committees.