Alastair Ross MLA

Alastair Ross is the Member of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly for the East Antrim constituency, and is the youngest Unionist legislator at Stormont. He currently sits on the Education Committee, Environment Committee, and is DUP group leader on the Standards and Privileges Committee. Alastair has also sat on the Employment and Learning Committee, Regional Development Committee and the ad hoc Committee on Sexual Offences.

Alastair Ross was born in Belfast on 4 March 1981, and was educated at Harmony Hill Primary School and Friends School Lisburn. After his A-Levels Alastair read Political Science at the University of Dundee in Scotland where he was awarded an MA (Hons) degree. On his return to Northern Ireland he studied for a postgraduate MA in Irish Politics at Queens University Belfast, and upon graduating with a postgraduate Masters became active in local politics with the Democratic Unionist Party, and was subsequently elected as Press Officer for the Lagan Valley DUP Constituency Association.


1. Alastair in his Carrickfergus Office	2. Pictured with Sammy Wilson MP at Stormont.	3. Maiden Speech, May 2007
Alastair was employed as a press officer in DUP headquarters prior to the hugely successful General Election in May 2005 when the DUP returned 9 MP's. Shortly after the election Alastair took up a post as Parliamentary Researcher for Sammy Wilson MP MLA, preparing official submissions and compiling research for Westminster debates and committee hearings.

During 2006, Alastair along with Party colleague Paul Stewart re-established the DUP youth wing, the Young Democrats. Alastair was elected as Chairman of this group in 2007.

In February 2007 Alastair was appointed as the Campaign Manager and Director of Communications for the three East Antrim DUP candidates contesting the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections. This was another massively successful campaign and Alastair ensured that all three candidates maintained an impressive public presence by organising a number of media events throughout the course of the campaign. The result was the DUP candidates being returned 1st, 2nd and 3rd on the first day of the count.


4. Alastair signing the Members Register.	5. Alastair Ross MLA leading a delegation of Young Democrats to meet with Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary of State at Westminster	6. Alastair on Stormont Live.

Following the sad death of colleague George Dawson MLA on 7 May 2007, Alastair was co-opted in to the Assembly as the Member for East Antrim. Mr Ross paid tribute to his friend George Dawson during his maiden speech on 21 May 2007 and has already made a number of impressive speeches in the Assembly. Alastair, at 26, is the youngest DUP Assembly Member.

Away from politics Alastair is a keen sportsman, playing hockey for Lisnagarvey Hockey Club, as well as being the youngest member of that club's management committee, elected as the club's Communications and PR Convenor in 2005. Alastair also plays cricket and enjoys to travel.


7. Alastair pictured with Gareth Gordon in the BBC Studio at Stormont.	8. Alastair addressing local principals.	9. In the Chamber.