Dolores Kelly

Mary Dolores Kelly MLA (born 3 September 1959) is a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly[1] for Upper Bann from 2003 until 2016, and again from 2017.

Dolores Kelly MLA
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 March 2017
Preceded by	Catherine Seeley
In office 26 November 2003 – 29 March 2016
Preceded by	Bríd Rodgers
Succeeded by	Catherine Seeley
Personal details
Born	3 September 1959 Aghalee, Northern Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	SDLP
Spouse(s)	Eamon Kelly
Children	4
Residence	Lurgan, County Armagh
Alma mater	University of Ulster
Profession	Occupational therapist
Website	SDLP profile

Background

Dolores Kelly attended St Michael's Grammar School, Lurgan and then the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. She worked as an occupational therapist in the Craigavon Area Hospital and in social services in Banbridge. She is married to Eamon Kelly and has four children.

Political career

In May 1993 she was first elected to Craigavon Borough Council for the Loughside District. She served on all committees, and was chair of Technical Services and Environmental Services. In 1996 she was an unsuccessful candidate in the Northern Ireland Forum election in Upper Bann.[2]

In May 1997 she was re-elected to Craigavon Borough. She was elected Deputy Mayor in 1998 and from 1999 to 2000 was the first Nationalist Mayor of Craigavon. Kelly was also deputy leader of the SDLP from 2011–15.

In 2003 Kelly was elected to Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.[3] She lost her seat in the 2016 Assembly Election.[4] but regained it and rejoined the Policing Board in 2017, at the expense of Sinn Féin.

References

1. BBC television programme Northern Ireland Assembly: 31 January 2009
2. Profile: Northern Ireland elections, ark.ac.uk; accessed 5 March 2017.
3. "The Board". Retrieved 22 August 2015.
4. "BBC NI Election 2016". Retrieved 7 May 2016.