Jane Morrice
Encyclopedia
Jane Morrice is a former politician
in Northern Ireland
. She was a prominent member of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
until the NIWC ceased to exist in 2006 due to an ongoing electoral decline. She was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
in June 1998 and was appointed as Deputy Speaker in February 2000.
Morrice was involved in the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and was a member of the Standing Orders Committee which set the initial rules governing Assembly procedures post-devolution. She was also a member of the Assembly's Trade and Industry Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.
Born in Belfast
, Morrice was educated at the Methodist College Belfast
and the University of Ulster
. She began her career as a journalist
in Brussels
in 1980; in 1987, she joined BBC Northern Ireland as a reporter covering current affairs for radio and television. She became the BBC Business and Labour Relations Correspondent in 1989.
In 1992, Morrice was appointed Head of the European Commission
(EC) Office in Northern Ireland, representing the EC for five years. She took a particular interest in the establishment of the Special EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
She entered politics in 1996 when she joined the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
(founded by Monica McWilliams
and Pearl Sagar
). She stood unsuccessfully as an independent
in North Down
at the 1997 general election
. She was elected in North Down
at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
, but lost the seat at the 2003 election
.
Morrice is a member of the Board of Governors of the Integrated Education Fund and of the European speakers' panel - Team Europe. She is involved with the North Down Victims Support Group. In 1998, she was appointed to the Board of the Laganside Corporation
, which was tasked with regenerating Belfast
's waterfront.
Morrice graduated from the University of Ulster
and speaks fluent French
and basic Spanish
and German
. She lives in North Down
with her husband and son.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in 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...
. She was a prominent member of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
The Northern Ireland Women's Coalition was a minor political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1996 by Catholic academic Monica McWilliams and Protestant social worker Pearl Sagar to contest the elections to the Northern Ireland Forum, the body for all-party talks which led to the...
until the NIWC ceased to exist in 2006 due to an ongoing electoral decline. She was elected to 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...
in June 1998 and was appointed as Deputy Speaker in February 2000.
Morrice was involved in the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and was a member of the Standing Orders Committee which set the initial rules governing Assembly procedures post-devolution. She was also a member of the Assembly's Trade and Industry Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.
Born in 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...
, Morrice was educated at the Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast , styled locally as Methody, is a voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council...
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 began her career as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1980; in 1987, she joined BBC Northern Ireland as a reporter covering current affairs for radio and television. She became the BBC Business and Labour Relations Correspondent in 1989.
In 1992, Morrice was appointed Head of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
(EC) Office in Northern Ireland, representing the EC for five years. She took a particular interest in the establishment of the Special EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
She entered politics in 1996 when she joined the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
The Northern Ireland Women's Coalition was a minor political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1996 by Catholic academic Monica McWilliams and Protestant social worker Pearl Sagar to contest the elections to the Northern Ireland Forum, the body for all-party talks which led to the...
(founded by Monica McWilliams
Monica McWilliams
Monica McWilliams is a Northern Ireland academic and former politician. From 2005 to 2011 she served as the second Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission....
and Pearl Sagar
Pearl Sagar
Pearl Sagar is a former politician in Northern Ireland.Brought up a Protestant, Sagar became a social worker in East Belfast, and married a soldier in the British Army....
). She stood unsuccessfully as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
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...
at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. She was elected in North Down
North Down (Assembly constituency)
North Down is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
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:...
, but lost the seat at the 2003 election
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...
.
Morrice is a member of the Board of Governors of the Integrated Education Fund and of the European speakers' panel - Team Europe. She is involved with the North Down Victims Support Group. In 1998, she was appointed to the Board of the Laganside Corporation
Laganside Corporation
The Laganside Corporation was a non-departmental public body formed by the Laganside Development Order 1989 with the goal of regenerating large sections of land in Belfast, Northern Ireland adjacent to the River Lagan...
, which was tasked with regenerating 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...
's waterfront.
Morrice graduated from 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...
and speaks fluent French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and basic Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. She lives in North Down
North Down
North Down can refer to:*North Down Borough Council in Northern Ireland.*North Down in Northern Ireland.*North Down in Northern Ireland....
with her husband and son.