[3] He became the SDLP Director of Communications in November 1996 until December 1999, a time that included the negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement and first Assembly elections.

[3] He left the SDLP to work as customer relations manager of Viridian Group PLC, [citation needed] then owners of Northern Ireland Electricity.

Following the establishment of the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive, McDevitt served as Special Adviser to the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Bríd Rodgers.

[6] In September 2013 he resigned from the Assembly after the revelation of three undeclared payments, amounting to £50,750 made up of £30,000[2] to JM Consulting for research support for his work as a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, £14,000 to JM Consulting[7] for research and secretarial services for his work as an MLA and £6,750[8] from his previous employer Weber Shandwick while sitting as an MLA.

[10] Born in Dublin, Ireland, but brought up in Málaga, Andalusia, Spain, McDevitt was educated at the Instituto Bachillerato Mixto, Fuengirola.