Eileen Bell
Encyclopedia
Eileen Bell CBE
(born 15 August 1943) is a Northern Ireland
politician, member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for North Down
and former deputy leader of the Alliance Party
.
and grew up in West Belfast
. She was educated at the Dominican College, Belfast
and the University of Ulster
. She held a number of jobs including working in the Civil Service
and later as Welfare Officer for the Community of the Peace People.
. She was later elected as one of two "top-up" members of the 1996 Northern Ireland Peace Forum and in the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly elections
won a seat in North Down
.
In June 2001 Bell was appointed Deputy Leader of the Alliance by Séan Neeson
, following the resignation of Seamus Close
over disagreements on the party's direction. However Neeson himself soon resigned and Bell stood for the leadership as a traditionalist bridge-building candidate, against David Ford
who was on the more consciously Liberal, internationalist wing of the party. At the Party's council Bell received 45 votes to Ford's 86 and she remained as the party's deputy leader. In the 2003 Assembly elections
she retained her seat.
On 10 December 2005 it was announced that Bell would stand down as Deputy Leader of the party and not contest the next Assembly elections.
Bell acted as the Speaker of the Assembly established by the Northern Ireland Act 2006
and of the Transitional Assembly established by the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006
. On 8 May 2007 she was appointed Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly (which had been suspended since 2002) only to be replaced that same day by William Hay.
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 15 August 1943) is a Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
politician, member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
for North Down
North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
and former deputy leader of the Alliance Party
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
.
Early life
Bell was born in DromaraDromara
Dromara is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies to the southwest of Ballynahinch on the northern slopes of Slieve Croob, with the River Lagan flowing through it. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 597 people....
and grew up in West Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. She was educated at the Dominican College, Belfast
Dominican College, Fortwilliam
Dominican College, Fortwilliam is a grammar school in north Belfast, Northern Ireland, established in 1930. The school recently underwent a major £13.1 million redevelopment. Katie Melua the Georgian-born singer attended the school....
and the University of Ulster
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
. She held a number of jobs including working in the Civil Service
Northern Ireland Civil Service
The Northern Ireland Civil Service is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports the Northern Ireland Executive, the devolved government of Northern Ireland....
and later as Welfare Officer for the Community of the Peace People.
Political career
In 1986 she became General Secretary of the Alliance Party. Later in 1993 she won election to North Down Borough CouncilNorth Down Borough Council
North Down Borough Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland with an overall population of around 80,000. Its main town is Bangor, 20 km east of Belfast with a population of approximately 55,000. The Council is headquartered in Bangor. Its secondary centre is the former Urban...
. She was later elected as one of two "top-up" members of the 1996 Northern Ireland Peace Forum and in the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly elections
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
-Seats summary:-Details:Although the SDLP won the most first preference votes, the Ulster Unionists won the most seats in the Assembly. This has been attributed to several reasons, including:...
won a seat in North Down
North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
.
In June 2001 Bell was appointed Deputy Leader of the Alliance by Séan Neeson
Séan Neeson
Seán Neeson is a politician in Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland between 1998 and 2001.- Education and early life :...
, following the resignation of Seamus Close
Seamus Close
Seamus Close OBE is a Northern Ireland politician, former member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley and a former deputy leader of the Alliance Party....
over disagreements on the party's direction. However Neeson himself soon resigned and Bell stood for the leadership as a traditionalist bridge-building candidate, against David Ford
David Ford
David Ford is a politician who is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ford has been leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland since 2001 and has been Northern Ireland Minister of Justice since April 2010.- Early life :...
who was on the more consciously Liberal, internationalist wing of the party. At the Party's council Bell received 45 votes to Ford's 86 and she remained as the party's deputy leader. In the 2003 Assembly elections
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2003
The second elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which at the time of the elections had been suspended for just over a year, were held on Wednesday 26 November 2003. Six members were elected by Single Transferable Vote from each of Northern Ireland's eighteen Westminster Parliamentary...
she retained her seat.
On 10 December 2005 it was announced that Bell would stand down as Deputy Leader of the party and not contest the next Assembly elections.
Bell acted as the Speaker of the Assembly established by the Northern Ireland Act 2006
Northern Ireland Act 2006
The Northern Ireland Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It made provision in connection with the Northern Ireland Assembly.-External links:*, as amended from the National Archives....
and of the Transitional Assembly established by the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006
Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006
The Northern Ireland Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It implemented the St Andrews Agreement...
. On 8 May 2007 she was appointed Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly (which had been suspended since 2002) only to be replaced that same day by William Hay.
Post Political Career
After leaving political life Eileen Bell turned to a charity she had long supported and became Vice President and Legislative Advisor to Autism NI. She has been one of the driving forces behind a Lobby for an Autism Bill in Northern Ireland.Honours
She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2008 New Year HonoursNew Year Honours 2008
The New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008....
.