Ministerial profile: Stephen Farry
agendaNi considers the new Employment and Learning Minister’s political background and priorities.
North Down MLA Stephen Farry took charge of Alliance’s second ministry in May. First elected to the Assembly in 2007, Farry was a councillor on North Down Borough Council from 1993 until 2011.
Formerly Alliance’s General Secretary, Farry was also the party’s finance spokesman and sat on the Finance Committee in the last term.
The Queen’s politics graduate has been largely put in the spotlight over the issue of higher education tuition fees since his appointment as Employment and Learning Minister.
Addressing educational underachievement will be his main priority, he told the Assembly on 31 May. He said he would endeavor to “meet the needs of individuals, irrespective of their background.”
Growing a “dynamic and innovative” economy requires a skilled workforce “equipped with the competencies and attitudes that are required by employers is absolutely key to future economic success,” according to the Minister.
Achieving this will require dealing with low academic achievement in economically deprived areas such as the Shankill and other parts of West Belfast. Working class Protestant boys in Rathcoole, inner-south and inner-east Belfast, Tullycarnet, and Ligoniel are a particular priority.
The increase of NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training) has been growing problem in the region and the Alliance manifesto had supported a NEET strategy.
Alliance has also pledged to raise the skills of the workforce at all levels, including those already in employment, ensure all individuals are provided with the best careers advice informed by evidence of opportunities, and make sure that skills and training providers are ‘fit for purpose’.
Farry’s previous political interests have included the cost of segregation, the green road to recovery and restorative justice schemes.
He has a PhD in international relations from Queen’s and has worked as a trainer for the US-based National Democratic Institute in Croatia and Romania, looking at democratisation.
