News story

Appointment to role of Independent Reviewer of National Security Arrangements

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt. Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP today announced the appointment of Marie Breen Smyth to the role of Independent Reviewer of National Security Arrangements in Northern Ireland.

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

The appointment will take effect on 1 February 2022 and will last for one year.

The Independent Reviewer of National Security Arrangements in Northern Ireland reviews annually the operation of the arrangements for national security matters.

Biography of Appointee

Prior to her appointment Professor Breen Smyth was on the academic staff of the University of Massachusetts, Boston, where she remains a Visiting Professor. She was 2002-3 Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow in the United States Institute for Peace. She is Professor Emerita at the University of Surrey since 2015 and was previously Associate Dean. She has held academic positions at Aberystwyth University in Wales, Smith College in Massachusetts and Ulster University in Northern Ireland.

She founded and directed The Institute for Conflict Research in Belfast and initiated The Cost of the Troubles Study, a 30-month investigation into the effects of the Troubles on the population of Northern Ireland. She has held a range of public appointments; as Non-Executive Director of a Health Board; as Chair of the Research Ethics Committee overseeing clinical trials; and as universities representative on the British Council.

Terms of Appointment

  • The position is a part-time appointment.
  • The position attracts a daily remuneration of £848 per day.
  • The appointment will be from 1 February 2021 for a period of up to one year.

Political Activity

Marie Breen Smyth has declared no political activity in the past ten years.

This appointment is not regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Updates to this page

Published 1 February 2022