David Byrne (barrister)

{{short description|Irish lawyer, Attorney General, European Commissioner}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = David Byrne

| honorific-suffix = SC

| image = David Byrne 1999.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2001

| office = Chancellor of Dublin City University

| president = Brian MacCraith

| term_start = 4 June 2006

| term_end = 21 August 2011

| predecessor = Brian Hillery

| successor = Martin McAleese

| office1 = European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection

| president1 = Romano Prodi

| term_start1 = 16 September 1999

| term_end1 = 30 October 2004

| predecessor1 = Emma Bonino

| successor1 = Pavel Telička

| order2 = 26th

| office2 = Attorney General of Ireland

| taoiseach2 = Bertie Ahern

| term_start2 = 26 June 1997

| term_end2 = 17 July 1999

| predecessor2 = Dermot Gleeson

| successor2 = Michael McDowell

| birth_name = David Byrne

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|4|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Monasterevin, County Kildare, Ireland{{fact|date=January 2023}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Irish

| party = Fianna Fáil

| spouse =

| children =

| residence = The Hague, Netherlands

| education = Newbridge College

| alma_mater = {{Ubl|University College Dublin|King's Inns}}

| signature =

|}}

David Byrne SC (born 6 April 1947) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served as Chancellor of Dublin City University from 2006 to 2011, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection from 1999 to 2004 and the Attorney General of Ireland from 1997 to 1999.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dcu.ie/news/2006/dec/s1206d.shtml |title=Dublin City University, 4 December 2006, EU Commissioner David Byrne appointed Chancellor of DCU |access-date=7 December 2006 |archive-date=5 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005201619/http://www.dcu.ie/news/2006/dec/s1206d.shtml |url-status=dead }}

Early life and career

Byrne was born in Monasterevin, County Kildare,{{cite news |title=Byrne to step down as Irish EU Commissioner |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/byrne-to-step-down-as-irish-eu-commissioner-1.979713 |access-date=2 June 2024 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en|quote=The 56-year-old father of three from Monasterevin, Co Kildare, is a former barrister.}} in 1947. He was educated at Newbridge College, County Kildare, University College Dublin, and King's Inns, Dublin. He was called to the Bar 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 the European Community in the 1970s, and has been a keen supporter of European integration ever since.[http://www.politico.eu/article/voice-of-calm/ Voice of calm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122172441/http://www.politico.eu/article/voice-of-calm/ |date=22 November 2016 }} European Voice, 3 November 1999.

Byrne became a Senior Counsel in 1985. He practised in both the Irish courts and the European Court of Justice, and also served as a member of the International Court of Commercial Arbitration from 1990 to 1997.

In 1997, Byrne became Attorney General of Ireland in the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition government. As one of the negotiators of the Good 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 the Amsterdam Treaty. During his tenure, he established the first independent Food Safety Agency in Europe responsible to the Minister of Health.

=European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection=

Byrne was nominated to the European Commission by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in September 1999, serving as Ireland's EU Commissioner, and had responsibility for Health and Consumer Protection in the Prodi Commission. He continued in that role until replaced as Ireland's Commissioner by Charlie 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 the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.[https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2003/np14/en/ European Health Commissioner Byrne honoured for outstanding tobacco control work] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818121901/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2003/np14/en/ |date=18 August 2018 }} World Health Organization, press release of 16 June 2003. Under his leadership, the European Union also created the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in 2004.Martin Banks (11 February 2004), [http://www.politico.eu/article/byrne-denies-slow-reaction-to-avian-flu/ Byrne denies slow reaction to avian flu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122170933/http://www.politico.eu/article/byrne-denies-slow-reaction-to-avian-flu/ |date=22 November 2016 }} European Voice.

World Health Organization

When he concluded his Brussels assignment,[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/0811/1154691577361.html The Irish Times, 11 August 2006, AG Byrne linked to world health job] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011103341/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/0811/1154691577361.html |date=11 October 2012 }}. Byrne acted as WHO Special Envoy on the revision of the International Health Regulations for a six-month period[http://www.irishtimes.com/news/byrne-not-on-list-of-candidates-for-who-job-1.795880 Byrne not on list of candidates for WHO job] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220120600/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/byrne-not-on-list-of-candidates-for-who-job-1.795880 |date=20 December 2016 }} Irish Times, 6 September 2006. following a series of outbreaks of SARS and avian influenza.[https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2004/pr73/en/ Commissioner David Byrne to be special envoy for World Health Organization] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122160353/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2004/pr73/en/ |date=22 November 2016 }} World Health Organization, press release of 22 October 2004.

Byrne was mooted as a potential candidate for the position of Director General of the World 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.[http://www.irishtimes.com/news/byrne-not-on-list-of-candidates-for-who-job-1.795880 Byrne not on list of candidates for WHO job] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220120600/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/byrne-not-on-list-of-candidates-for-who-job-1.795880 |date=20 December 2016 }} Irish Times, 6 September 2006.

Life after politics

After leaving the European Commission, Byrne has held a variety of paid and unpaid positions, including the following:

European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, Co-Chair[http://www.euapm.eu/board-and-staff.html Board and staff] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122221359/http://www.euapm.eu/board-and-staff.html |date=22 November 2016 }} European Alliance for Personalised Medicine.
FleishmanHillard, Member of the International Advisory Board[http://fleishmanhillard.com/2010/07/news-and-opinions/eu-policymaker-guenter-verheugen-joins-fleishman-hillards-international-advisory-board/ EU Policymaker Guenter Verheugen Joins Fleishman-Hillard’s International Advisory Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122155214/http://fleishmanhillard.com/2010/07/news-and-opinions/eu-policymaker-guenter-verheugen-joins-fleishman-hillards-international-advisory-board/ |date=22 November 2016 }} FleishmanHillard, press release of 12 July 2010.
Health First Europe (HFE), Patron{{cite web |title=David Byrne has become a Patron of Health First Europe |url=https://healthfirsteurope.eu/news/david-byrne-has-become-a-patron-of-health-first-europe/ |website=healthfirsteurope.eu |access-date=2 June 2024 |date=5 November 2005}}
International Prevention Research Institute (iPRI), Chairman of the Ethics Committee{{cite web |title=People – iPRI |url=https://i-pri.org/about-us/people/ |access-date=2 June 2024 |date=20 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120171623/https://i-pri.org/about-us/people/ |archive-date=20 January 2022 }}
National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), Chairman of the Advisory Committee{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Of counsel{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}
World Justice Project, Honorary Co-Chair[http://worldjusticeproject.org/honorary-chairs Honorary Chairs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161121174634/http://worldjusticeproject.org/honorary-chairs |date=21 November 2016 }} World Justice Project.
World Prevention Alliance, Honorary Chair Member{{cite web |title=Mr. David Byrne SC |url=https://worldjusticeproject.org/about-us/who-we-are/honorary-chairs/david_byrne-sc |website=World Justice Project |access-date=2 June 2024 |language=en}}