Mervyn Storey

Robert Mervyn Storey (born 4 September 1964) is a Northern Ireland politician and a Democratic Unionist Party MLA for North Antrim.[1] Storey was Minister for Social Development in the Northern Ireland Executive (2014–16), and in 2016 was appointed Minister for Finance & Personnel.

Mervyn Storey MLA
Minister for Finance & Personnel
In office 12 January 2016 – 6 May 2016
Preceded by	Arlene Foster
Succeeded by	Máirtín Ó Muilleoir
Minister for Social Development
In office 24 September 2014 – 12 January 2016
Preceded by	Nelson McCausland
Succeeded by	Lord Morrow
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Antrim
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 November 2003
Preceded by	James Leslie
Personal details
Born	4 September 1964 Armoy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British
Political party	Democratic Unionist Party
Spouse(s)	Christine Storey
Children	3

Biography

Robert Mervyn Storey was born in Armoy, County Antrim on 4 September 1964. His father Nat was a founder member of the Protestant Unionist Party and an election worker for Ian Paisley.[2] Storey was educated at Armoy Primary School and at Ballymoney High School. On leaving school in 1980 he worked in a bacon factory, rising to production manager. In 2000 he left the company and joined Ian Paisley's constituency office in Ballymena.[2]

Family

Storey is married to Christine and has three children.[2]

Political activity

Storey is a former member of the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland. Storey was elected to Ballymoney council in 2001 and again in 2005. He is a member of the Ballymoney Local Strategy Partnership and Regional Partnership for Northern Ireland. In 2000 he served as campaign manager for William McCrea's by-election for South Antrim and also in 2001 for Gregory Campbell and Ian Paisley's elections in East Londonderry and North Antrim respectively. All three campaigns were successful.

Storey was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the 2003 elections. From 2008 to 2014 he was chairman of the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education.[3]

From September 2014 to January 2016 Storey was Minister for Social Development. He resigned from this post several times during September and October 2015 in the context of a political crisis.[3][4]

In January 2016 Storey was appointed Minister for Finance & Personnel.[2][3]

As a young earth creationist,[2] and a member of the "Council of Reference" of the creationist Caleb Foundation,[5] he petitioned the then Northern Irish education minister, Caitríona Ruane, to have intelligent design taught in schools in Northern Ireland, as well as objecting to an exhibition on evolution in the Ulster Museum and signs at the Giants Causeway in his North Antrim constituency.[6][7][8]

References

1. "Ballymoney Times – Storey congratulates A-level students". The Ballymoney Times. The Ballymoney Times. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
2. Kane, Alex (16 January 2016). "Mervyn Storey: We profile the new Finance Minister". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
3. "Mr Mervyn Storey". Northern Ireland Assembly.
4. "Simon Hamilton resigns four times in past three weeks". BBC. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
5. Caleb Foundation Archived 7 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine website
6. Oh, for a honeymoon, The Economist, 26 June 2008, retrieved 13 February 2009
7. Darwin display at museum angers creationist MLA, The Belfast Telegraph, 13 February 2009, retrieved 13 February 2009
8. Belfast museum faces legal battle over Charles Darwin exhibition, The Guardian, 12 February 2009, retrieved 20 May 2009