Patricia Lewsley

Infobox Politician


imagesize = 150px
name=Cllr Patricia Lewsley MLA
width=144px
term_start=1998
term_end=19 December 2006
predecessor=
successor=Marietta Farrell
birth_date=Birth date and age|1957|3|3|df=y
birth_place=Belfast, County Down, Northern Ireland
constituency=Lagan Valley (MLA)
party=Social Democratic and Labour Party
Current Position=Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People
spouse=
website=www.niccy.org [http://www.niccy.org]

Patricia Lewsley (born 3 March 1957) is a Northern Irish politician.

Born in Belfast, Lewsley attended the University of Ulster before working as a cook and an advice worker.

In 1998, she was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly representing the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Lagan Valley, a seat she held in 2003. In 2001, she was elected to Lisburn City Council.

On 19 December 2006, Lewsley resigned from the Assembly in order to take up a post as Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (see [http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/transitional/info_office/members.htm] ).

Patricia Lewsley took up post as Commissioner on 8 January, 2007. Previously Ms Lewsley was an MLA and councillor. She has a long track record of working on behalf of children and young people, which includes chairing the All-Party Assembly Groups on Children and Young People, Disability, Diabetes, Anti-Poverty, and Ethnic minorities. She was a co-founder of Shopmobility in Belfast and initiated the appointment of the first and only Disability/Equal Opportunity Officer in local government.

On the day the Assembly was suspended in 2002, she was due to introduce a Private Members Bill to strengthen child protection arrangements in Northern Ireland, by placing Area Child Protection Committees on a statutory footing.

Having trained as a cook she worked in the community as an advice worker, before entering the world of politics in 1993.

Ms Lewsley is a single parent with five children and four grandchildren.

References

* [http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/members/biogs_03/lewsley_p.htm Northern Ireland Assembly - Biographies - Patricia Lewsley]
* [http://www.niccy.org]