David Byrne (Irish politician)

David Byrne (born 6 April 1947) is an Irish senior counsel, former Attorney General of Ireland and former EU Commissioner. In December 2006 Byrne was appointed as Chancellor of Dublin City University.

Byrne was born in Monasterevin, County Kildare. He was educated at Newbridge College, County Kildare, University College Dublin and King's Inns, Dublin. He was called to the Bar in 1970 and practised law in the Irish and European Courts. During his student days in Dublin, he founded the Free Legal Advice Centre, a student-run organisation providing legal aid to citizens in association with the legal profession. He campaigned in favour of Irish entry into the European Community in the 1970s and has been a keen supporter of European integration ever since.

Byrne became a Senior Counsel in 1985. He practised in both the Irish courts and the European Court of Justice and also served as a member of the International Court of Commercial Arbitration from 1990–97.

In 1997 Byrne became Attorney General to the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition government. As one of the negotiators of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998, he drafted and oversaw the major constitutional amendments required by that agreement, which were approved by Referendum in May 1998. Byrne also advised on the constitutional amendments necessary for Ireland's ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty. During his tenure, he established the first independent Food Safety Agency in Europe responsible to the Minister of Health.

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