David Byrne | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2001 | |
| Chancellor ofDublin City University | |
| In office 4 June 2006 – 21 August 2011 | |
| President | Brian MacCraith |
| Preceded by | Brian Hillery |
| Succeeded by | Martin McAleese |
| European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection | |
| In office 16 September 1999 – 30 October 2004 | |
| President | Romano Prodi |
| Preceded by | Emma Bonino |
| Succeeded by | Pavel Telička |
| Attorney General of Ireland | |
| In office 26 June 1997 – 17 July 1999 | |
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Dermot Gleeson |
| Succeeded by | Michael McDowell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Byrne (1947-04-06)6 April 1947 (age 78) |
| Party | Fianna Fáil |
| Residence(s) | The Hague,Netherlands |
| Education | Newbridge College |
| Alma mater | |
David ByrneSC (born 6 April 1947) is an IrishFianna Fáil politician and barrister who served asChancellor ofDublin City University from 2006 to 2011,European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection from 1999 to 2004 and theAttorney General of Ireland from 1997 to 1999.[1]
Byrne was born inMonasterevin,County Kildare,[2] in 1947. He was educated atNewbridge College,County Kildare,University College Dublin, andKing's Inns,Dublin. He was called to theBar in 1970, and practiced law in the Irish and European Courts. During his student days in Dublin, he founded the Free Legal Advice Centre, a student-run organisation providing legal aid to citizens in association with the legal profession. He campaigned in favour of Irish entry into theEuropean Community in the 1970s, and has been a keen supporter ofEuropean integration ever since.[3]
Byrne became a Senior Counsel in 1985. He practised in both theIrish courts and theEuropean Court of Justice, and also served as a member of theInternational Court of Commercial Arbitration from 1990 to 1997.
In 1997, Byrne becameAttorney General of Ireland in theFianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition government. As one of the negotiators of theGood Friday Agreement in April 1998, he drafted and oversaw the major constitutional amendments required by that agreement, which were approved by Referendum in May 1998. Byrne also advised on the constitutional amendments necessary for Ireland's ratification of theAmsterdam Treaty. During his tenure, he established the first independent Food Safety Agency in Europe responsible to the Minister of Health.
Byrne was nominated to the European Commission byTaoiseachBertie Ahern in September 1999, serving as Ireland'sEU Commissioner, and had responsibility for Health and Consumer Protection in theProdi Commission. He continued in that role until replaced as Ireland's Commissioner byCharlie McCreevy in 2004.
During his time in office, Byrne was a major driving force behind European tobacco control legislation, such as directives banning tobacco advertising and regulating tobacco products, in keeping with theWHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.[4] Under his leadership, the European Union also created theEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in 2004.[5]
When he concluded his Brussels assignment,[6] Byrne acted as WHO Special Envoy on the revision of theInternational Health Regulations for a six-month period[7] following a series of outbreaks ofSARS andavian influenza.[8]
Byrne was mooted as a potential candidate for the position ofDirector General of theWorld Health Organization following the death of the incumbent,Lee Jong-wook in 2006. However, he was eventually not included in the list of 13 candidates to head the agency.[9]
After leaving the European Commission, Byrne has held a variety of paid and unpaid positions, including the following:
The 56-year-old father of three from Monasterevin, Co Kildare, is a former barrister.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Irish European Commissioner 1999–2004 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Attorney General of Ireland 1997–1999 | Succeeded by |
 | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
