# Pat Catney
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pat_Catney
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pat_Catney.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Catney
> Source revision: 1348227773
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{short description|Politician from Northern Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Pat Catney
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Pat Catney, MLA.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Catney in 2020
| office = Member of [Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council](/source/Lisburn_and_Castlereagh_City_Council)
| constituency = [Lisburn North](/source/Lisburn_North_(District_Electoral_Area))
| term_start = 18 May 2023
| term_end =
| predecessor = Johnny McCarthy
| successor =
| constituency1 = [Killultagh](/source/Killultagh_(District_Electoral_Area))
| term_start1 = 22 May 2014
| term_end1 = 2 March 2017
| predecessor1 = Council created
| successor1 = Conor Quinn
| constituency_AM2 = [Lagan Valley](/source/Lagan_Valley_(Assembly_constituency))
| assembly2 = Northern Ireland
| term_start2 = 2 March 2017
| term_end2 = 28 March 2022
| predecessor2 = [Brenda Hale](/source/Brenda_Hale_(Northern_Ireland_politician))
| successor2 = [David Honeyford](/source/David_Honeyford)
| office3 = Member of [Lisburn City Council](/source/Lisburn_City_Council)
| constituency3 = [Killultagh](/source/Killultagh_(District_Electoral_Area))
| term_start3 = 5 May 2011
| term_end3 = 22 May 2014
| predecessor3 = [Peter O'Hagan](/source/Peter_O'Hagan)
| successor3 = ''Council abolished''
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|11|11|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = [SDLP](/source/Social_Democratic_and_Labour_Party)
| other_party =
| spouse = {{marriage|Rosemary Catney|1982}}
| children = 4
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Politician
| profession =
| website = [https://www.sdlp.ie/pat_catney/official website]
}}
'''Pat Catney''' (born 11 November 1954) is an Irish [Social Democratic and Labour Party](/source/Social_Democratic_and_Labour_Party) (SDLP) politician and former publican, serving as a [Lisburn and Castlereagh City Councillor](/source/Lisburn_and_Castlereagh) for the [Lisburn North](/source/Lisburn_North_(District_Electoral_Area)) DEA since [2023](/source/2023_Lisburn_and_Castlereagh_City_Council_election).
Catney previously served as a [Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly](/source/Member_of_the_Northern_Ireland_Assembly) (MLA) for [Lagan Valley](/source/Lagan_Valley_(Assembly_constituency)) from [2017](/source/2017_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election) to [2022](/source/2022_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election).
== Early life ==
Catney was born in 1954 to Eileen (née McDonald, died in 2020) and James Catney, who ran the Kitchen Bar in Belfast, having previously run the Liverpool Bar on Donegall Quay. Before entering politics, Catney ran the Kitchen Bar, and was involved in the running of the parish centre at St Patrick's Church in [Lisburn](/source/Lisburn).[{{Cite web |last=McAleer |first=Ryan |date=17 February 2020 |title=Funeral to take place of well-known Belfast publican Eileen Catney |url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/02/17/news/funeral-to-take-place-of-well-known-belfast-publican-eileen-catney-1844220/ |website=The Irish News |language=en |access-date=25 April 2021}}][{{Cite news |last=McNeilly |first=Claire |date=18 December 2017 |title=SDLP's Pat Catney: As a family we felt a real sense of shame after my brother Jim admitted sexually assaulting a young girl |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/sdlps-pat-catney-as-a-family-we-felt-a-real-sense-of-shame-after-my-brother-jim-admitted-sexually-assaulting-a-young-girl-36417008.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235 |access-date=18 April 2022}}]
== Political career ==
He was elected to [Lisburn City Council](/source/Lisburn_City_Council) in [2011](/source/2011_Lisburn_City_Council_election), representing the [Killutagh](/source/Killultagh_(District_Electoral_Area)) District.[{{cite web |title=People - Pat Catney |url=http://www.sdlp.ie/people/cllr-pat-catney |website=SDLP |access-date=4 March 2017}}] He also unsuccessfully contested Lagan Valley in the [Assembly election held that same day](/source/2011_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election).
Catney was elected onto the successor [Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council](/source/Lisburn_and_Castlereagh) in [2014](/source/2014_Lisburn_and_Castlereagh_City_Council_election), again representing Killutagh.
He again contested Lagan Valley at the [2016 Assembly election](/source/2016_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election), but was not elected.
He was elected to the [Northern Ireland Assembly](/source/Northern_Ireland_Assembly) for [Lagan Valley](/source/Lagan_Valley_(Assembly_constituency)) in the [2017 election](/source/2017_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election).[{{cite news |title=NI Election 2017 - Lagan Valley |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000009 |work=BBC News |access-date=4 March 2017}}] He currently serves as the SDLP spokesperson for Small Business and Innovation.[{{Cite web |title=Lagan Valley MLA |url=https://www.sdlp.ie/pat_catney |website=Social Democratic and Labour Party |language=en |access-date=25 April 2021}}]
Catney's office was picketed by [Britain First](/source/Britain_First) supporters in 2018, for which the motive was unclear. Catney responded by saying "Such actions didn't deter me then, and Saturday’s empty protest by this group will not deter me now," adding that "Lisburn is a city for all, Catholic, Protestant and dissenter – any message that undermines the good relations of this great city is not welcome."[{{cite news |date=18 September 2018 |title=Britain First protest won't deter SDLP's Pat Catney from doing his job |url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/2018/09/18/news/britain-first-protest-won-t-deter-sdlp-s-pat-catney-from-doing-his-job-1435369/ |website=The Irish News |language=en |access-date=25 April 2021}}]
In 2020, Catney put forward legislation in the Assembly to make period products available free in all schools, colleges and public buildings, to combat period poverty.[{{cite web |title=Period Products (Free Provision) Bill |url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2017-2022-mandate/non-executive-bill-proposals/period-products/ |website=Northern Ireland Assembly |access-date=31 July 2022}}][{{Cite web|last=cassoscoop|date=2 December 2020|title=SDLP launches Period Poverty consultation – Derry Daily|url=https://www.derrydaily.net/2020/12/02/sdlp-launches-period-poverty-consultation/ |language=en-GB |access-date=25 April 2021}}] The bill was passed into law in March 2022.[{{Cite web |title=Bill passed to make period products free in schools |url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/health/bill-passed-to-make-period-products-free-in-schools-3626449 |website=News Letter |language=en-GB |date=24 March 2022 |access-date=18 April 2022}}][{{cite web |last1=McCambridge |first1=Jonathan |date=24 March 2022 |title=Legislation to make period products freely available in NI passed by Assembly |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/legislation-make-period-products-freely-23491691 |website=BelfastLive |access-date=31 July 2022}}]
He lost his seat to [David Honeyford](/source/David_Honeyford) of the [Alliance Party](/source/Alliance_Party_of_Northern_Ireland) at the [2022 Assembly election](/source/2022_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election).
Catney announced he would be standing in the [2023 Northern Ireland local elections](/source/2023_Northern_Ireland_local_elections)[{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Brendan |date=1 February 2023 |title=Former MLA to stand in NI council elections |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/former-sdlp-mla-pat-catney-26128545 |access-date=1 February 2023 |website=BelfastLive |language=en}}] and was later confirmed as the SDLP candidate for Lisburn North.[{{Cite web|url=https://belfastmedia.com/sdlp-announce-candidates-for-may-council-election-in-lisburn-awaiting-pic|title=Pat Catney returns to politics as SDLP announce Lisburn and Castlereagh candidates|website=Belfast Media Group}}] At the election on 19 May 2023, Catney was elected on the fourth count.[{{cite news|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/alliance-surge-lisburn-castlereagh-ind-26957344|title=Lisburn and Castlereagh election results in full as Alliance surge|first=Donal|last=McMahon|date=20 May 2023|website=BelfastLive}}]
== Personal life ==
Catney married his wife Rosemary in 1982, and the couple have four children.