John Mitchel McLaughlin (born 29 October 1945) is the former General Secretary of Sinn Féin and currently an MLA and Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. McLaughlin was born in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland and educated at Long Tower Boys School, Derry and Christian Brothers Technical College, Derry.He was elected a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Foyle in the 1998 assembly election and re-elected in 2003.