Sam Foster (UK politician)

Infobox Politician | name=Sam Foster, CBE

thumb|Sam_Foster,_former_Northern_Ireland_Environment_Minister
width=120px
office = Minister for Environment
term_start = November 29, 1999
term_end = February 20, 2002
predecessor= New office
successor=Dermot Nesbitt
constituency_AM3= Fermanagh and South Tyrone
assembly3=Northern Ireland
birth_date=birth date and age|1931|12|7
birth_place=Lisnaskea, Northern Ireland
party=Ulster Unionist Party
spouse=Major Samuel (Sam) Foster CBE [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2045970.stm BBC News report, 2002 Honours list] ] (born 7 December 1931) is a former Ulster Unionist Party politician who served in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Foster was educated at Enniskillen Technical College and the Ulster Polytechnic, and was by profession a Social Worker. He was a Special Constable in the Ulster Special Constabulary for 21 years and was an Officer with the rank of Major in the Ulster Defence Regiment until his election to Fermanagh District Council in 1981. He retired from the Council in 2001 having been Chairman in 1995-1997. He was highly commended for his efforts to rescue victims of the 1987 Remembrance Day bombing, of which he was nearly a victim himself [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/governance/support/gov1_n081.shtml BBC NI - Learning - A State Apart - Governance - Support Article (1am) ] ] .

He was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue in 1996 for Fermanagh & South Tyrone and was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998. In 1999 he was appointed Environment Minister by the David Trimble, reportedly as a reward not only to Foster for his long service, but to Fermanagh UUP for their support of Trimble [ [http://212.187.153.30/Northern_Ireland/galleryguide/0,,196036,00.html Guardian Unlimited] ] [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/governance/support/gov1_n081.shtml BBC Online] ] , however was forced to resign in 2002 with the advancement of Parkinson’s Disease. He was replaced by Dermot Nesbitt.

Having been a member of the Northern Ireland Police Authority from 1982-85 he was appointed to the Northern Ireland Policing Board in 1999 on which he remained until it was reconstituted in 2006. He stood down from the Assembly at the 2003 elections.

He is married with three children and is a lifelong member of the Loyal Orders. A nephew of Foster's is married to current DUP Environment Minister, Arlene Foster [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6632769.stm BBC News online] ]

References