John Dallat

John Dallat (born 24 March 1947, Rasharkin, County Antrim) is an Irish politician.

He attended Coleraine College of Further Education, the North West College of Further and Higher Education, the University of Ulster and University College, Galway before becoming a teacher of business studies.

Dallat joined the Social Democratic and Labour Party and was elected to Coleraine Borough Council in 1977. From 2001-02, he was the first Irish nationalist Mayor of Coleraine.

Dallat was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Londonderry in 1998 and held his seat in 2003. At the 2001 and 2005 UK general elections, he unsuccessfully contested the Westminster seat of East Londonderry.

He has been vocal in his opposition of the Coleraine loyalist who was convicted of the Greysteel massacre Torrens Knight being released from prison.Knight who was freed under the terms of the Good Friday agreement had his licence revoked after being convicted of assault in 2009.^[1]

In 14th September 2010, he shared a debate with the NF publicity officer, Tom Linden, on BBC Radio Foyle about the support the NF had in Coleraine to which John Dallat gave his disgust even though was criticised by Tom Linden for being a member of a sectarian party. This gave the NF a chance to air its views, which resulted with the NF Coleraine organiser, Mark Brown, "thanking" John Dallat for helping the NF double its support in Coleraine through enquiries and membership.^[2]

He is a member of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.

References

• Northern Ireland Assembly - Biographies - John Dallat