Jane Morrice
Born in Belfast, Jane Morrice has worked in many challenging fields throughout her career. Former
Deputy Speaker of the first Northern Ireland Assembly set up after the Peace Agreement, former
Head of the European Commission Office in Northern Ireland and former reporter for BBC Belfast,
Jane is currently Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Equality Commission.
A journalist by profession, her career began in the Brussels press agency European Report
(Europolitique) specialising in EU/Third World Relations. In 1987, she joined BBC Belfast as a
reporter where her work included covering the "troubles" in Northern Ireland.
In 1992 she was appointed Head of the EC Office in Northern Ireland. This was during the time of the
ceasefires and she became a member of the Delors Task Force which established the first EU Peace
Programme. It was this work on peacebuilding that eventually led her into politics.
She helped set up a new political party – the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition – was elected to the
new Northern Ireland Assembly and became Deputy Speaker in 2000. Her work involved the
implementation of the Peace Agreement and chairing often heated and demanding sessions of the
Assembly.
Jane was appointed to the EESC in 2006. She is a member of the TEN and SOC sections and the
Communication Group. Given her career, she has focused on areas where she has specialised
knowledge and has been rapporteur on two "Own Initiative Opinions" on the role of the EU in
Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland and beyond. In 2008 she was appointed to the Northern Ireland
Equality Commission and is currently serving her second term.
A fluent French speaker, Jane lives near Belfast and her interests include photography, travel and
music.
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April 2013
EN