NWCI announces committed feminist, Frances Byrne, as new Chairperson

Published: Sunday, September 11, 2016

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) is delighted to announce Frances Byrne, committed feminist and communications professional, as our new Chairperson. She was elected at NWCI’s AGM on Friday, 9 September 2017.

A lone mother since the 1990s, Frances Byrne has been a women’s equality activist for many years in both paid and voluntary roles. A board member for NWCI since 2014, she currently represents NWCI’s more than 170 members on the National Women’s Strategy Committee and previously represented the organisation on both the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum. Frances is also the alternate NWCI Representative on the European Women’s Lobby Board.

After her election, Frances Byrne, said,

“It is a huge honour and privilege to become the Chairperson of the national women’s representative organisation in Ireland, and very special to me and my family, as I will follow my mother, Noreen Byrne, who was Chairperson of NWCI in the 1990s. One of the key issues for me as Chairperson will be the campaign for a referendum to repeal the 8thamendment.  As the voice of the women’s sector in Ireland, it is essential that NWCI plays a central role on behalf our members, so that women’s voices and experiences are at the centre of this debate. I also look forward to working together with other board members and the diverse NWCI membership of local and national groups and organisations to drive forward women’s equality in Ireland.”

NWCI’s newly elected board members also include:

• Sheila Dickson, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (Deputy Chairperson)
• Sarah Benson, Ruhama
• Olwen Dawe, Network Ireland
• Catriona Graham, Immigrant Council of Ireland
• Suzanna Griffin, SIPTU
• Miriam Holt, National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks (NCCWN)
• Louise Lovett, Longford Women’s Link
• Rosaleen McDonagh, Pavee Point Traveller’s Centre
• Nuala Ryan, Irish Federation of University Women
• Pauline Sargent, Digi Women

Ends/

For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, Tel. 085 858 9104.

Note to Editors:

Biography – Frances Byrne

A lone mother since the 1990s, Frances, has been a feminist activist for many years in both paid and voluntary roles.

A board member for NWCI since 2014, she currently represents NWCI's membership on the National Women’s Strategy Committee and previously represented the organisation on both the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum. Frances is also the alternate NWCI Representative on the European Women’s Lobby Board.

Formerly a board member of the European Anti-Poverty Network –Ireland, Frances was also a founding member of Claiming our Future, the Advocacy Initiative and the Equality and Rights Alliance. In the past Frances has worked in the Dublin Well Woman Centre, an NGO in the USA which supported older people and at a local employment service in North Dublin.

Frances led OPEN the national network of lone parents groups for over a decade, where she initiated a number of campaigns, including the nationwide ‘Seven is Too Young’, drive to oppose the 2012 Social Welfare Bill which impacted so badly on lone mothers living in poverty. While at OPEN, Frances represented the organisation,as well as the Community Platform, in local and national media, speaking on issues such as social welfare supports, low pay,urban and rural poverty and housing, among others. She is an enthusiastic advocate on the issue of women’s poverty, women's leadership in wider society and women's political participation.

Now working as a communications professional, Frances is passionate about and committed  to increasing women’s visibility and has provided media training and support to many women from under-represented groups and diverse  backgrounds.