Member Focus

What is your name, how old are you and where are you from?

My name is Andrew Martin, I am 19 years old and I am from just outside Loughgall in County Armagh

Where are you currently working/studying?

I currently study Law with Politics at Queens University Belfast. When did you join the DUP and why?

I joined the DUP at the start of 2021 just before the Assembly Election. I joined the DUP for a couple of reasons. Firstly I would be a centre-right conservative so I wish to protect small businesses from unfair taxation while also pushing for reform and action within our crumbling health service. Furthermore

I am a unionist and I felt like the DUP had a comprehensive and strong vision about how we protect and move Northern Ireland forward within the UK. I also felt that young people were under represented within the party. If we were expecting young people to vote then we must have young voices within the party.

Have you always had an interest in politics?

I would say I’ve had an interest in politics since I was around 2rd year in Clounagh JHS. My interest and knowledge developed throughout GCSE and so I studied Politics for AS/Alevel. I always had an interest in leadership and service. From volunteering in youth groups to leadership in the newly formed Northern Ireland Youth Assembly. The NI Youth Assembly is a group of young people from across Northern Ireland from all political stances working together to get young people’s voices heard in politics. I have had many agreements but on some issues members vastly differ on their approach. There will always be disagreements but there is often more that unites our communities than divides us. What in politics are you most interested in?

Mental Health with young people and rural communities

Online abuse of young people

Sustainable waste management and a comprehensive plan towards reaching our climate targets. Specific investment in reform of health services and an assessment on the viability of paid prescriptions.

What politician dead or alive would you like to have coffee with?

I would like to have coffee with Sir James Craig, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. With the benefit of hindsight I would tell him to make sure that every person in Northern Ireland is treated equally and has equal representation. In an interview with Eamonn Mallie the Rev Ian Paisley said, “fair government is that every man has the same power to vote for what he wants.”