Sam Foster (politician)

Sam Foster CBE
Minister of the Environment
In office
29 November 1999  20 February 2002
Preceded by New office
Succeeded by Dermot Nesbitt
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Fermanagh & South Tyrone
In office
25 June 1998  26 November 2003
Preceded by New Creation
Succeeded by Tom Elliott
Personal details
Born (1931-12-07)7 December 1931
Lisnaskea, Northern Ireland
Died 19 August 2014(2014-08-19) (aged 82)
Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
Political party Ulster Unionist Party
Spouse(s) Dorothy
Children Helen
Mervyn
David
Alma mater Ulster Polytechnic
Profession Social Worker, Police
Religion Anglican

Major Samuel (Sam) Foster CBE[1] (7 December 1931 – 19 August 2014) was an Ulster Unionist Party politician who served in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Foster was educated at Enniskillen Technical College and the Ulster Polytechnic, and was by profession a Social Worker. He was a Special Constable in the Ulster Special Constabulary for 21 years and was an Officer with the rank of Major in the Ulster Defence Regiment until his election to Fermanagh District Council in 1981. He retired from the Council in 2001 having been Chairman in 1995-1997. He was highly commended for his efforts to rescue victims of the 1987 Remembrance Day bombing, of which he was nearly a victim himself.[2]

He was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue in 1996 for Fermanagh & South Tyrone and was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998. In 1999 he was appointed Environment Minister by the David Trimble, reportedly as a reward not only to Foster for his long service, but to Fermanagh UUP for their support of Trimble,[3][4] however was forced to resign in 2002 with the advancement of Parkinson’s Disease. He was replaced by Dermot Nesbitt.

Having been a member of the Northern Ireland Police Authority from 1982-85 he was appointed to the Northern Ireland Policing Board in 1999 on which he remained until it was reconstituted in 2006. He stood down from the Assembly at the 2003 elections.

He was married with three children and was a lifelong member of the Loyal Orders. A nephew of Foster's is married to current DUP Environment Minister, Arlene Foster[5] Foster died on 19 August 2014.[6]

References

Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by
New creation
MLA for Fermanagh & South Tyrone
1998 - 2003
Succeeded by
Tom Elliott
Political offices
Preceded by
New office
Minister of the Environment
1999 - 2000
Succeeded by
Office suspended
Preceded by
Office suspended
Minister of the Environment
2000 - 2002
Succeeded by
Dermot Nesbitt
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