Suzanne Breen

Suzanne Breen (born 1967) is an Irish journalist.

Career

Suzanne Breen, a native of Ulster, has been a journalist for several Irish newspapers including The Irish Times and The Belfast Telegraph. She has also contributed to several Irish magazines such as Fortnight and Magill. She was the Northern Ireland editor for the Sunday Tribune.^[1] She has also written for Village Magazine on Northern Irish issues.^[2][3][4] In 2017 she was appointed Political Editor of the Belfast Telegraph.^[5]

Dispute over right to protect sources

She was contacted by the Real IRA when they claimed responsibility for the shootings at Massereene Barracks and admitted killing Denis Donaldson.^[6][7][8][9]

In 2009, she was approached by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and asked to hand over details about sources, which she refused to do.^[1][10] She was supported by the National Union of Journalists and the Sunday Tribune.^[11][12][13] Breen stated that her life could be in danger if she reveals her sources.^[14]

Initially, the judge said he was minded to grant the order to the PSNI,^[15] but, in June 2009, the High Court in Belfast ruled in her favour, saying she did not have to hand over her notes.^[16] She had been told by a third party that if she handed over her notes, she and her family would be in danger from the Real IRA.^[17]

Awards

• Northern Ireland Journalist of the Year (1994)
• Northern Ireland Feature Journalist of the Year (1995, 1996, 1997, 2010, 2016).^[18]
• Outstanding journalism by women on the island of Ireland (1999).^[19]

References

1. Police 'demand Real IRA sources', BBC News, 3 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009
2. Suzanne Breen,"Johnny Adair: "Any Taig Will Do", Village Magazine, 8 January 2005; retrieved 12 May 2009.
3. "Who in Sinn Féin was IRA?", 26 February 2005; retrieved 12 May 2009.
4. Suzanne Breen, "Sinn Féin rides the wave of political fall-out", Village Magazine, 8 January 2005; retrieved 12 May 2009.
5. "Suzanne Breen becomes Belfast Telegraph's new political editor". Retrieved 27 February 2018.
6. "Real IRA ‘claims’ deadly British army attack" Archived 2009-06-18 at the Wayback Machine, France 24, 8 March 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009.
7. Henry McDonald, "Irish journalist says she will not disclose Real IRA sources", The Guardian, 12 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009.
8. Suzanne Breen, "How Real IRA Killed Denis Donaldson" Archived 2010-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, Tribune News, 12 April 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009.
9. Suzanne Breen, "Massereene Murders Sets North Back Years" Archived 2009-04-15 at the Wayback Machine, Tribune News, 12 April 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009
10. Suzanne Breen, I'm not going to put my life in danger to do the PSNI's job Archived 2009-05-09 at the Wayback Machine, Tribune News, 3 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009.
11. "We will rigorously defend Suzanne Breen's right to maintain confidentiality" Archived 2009-05-14 at the Wayback Machine, Tribune News, 3 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009
12. Journalistic confidentiality^{[permanent dead link‍]}, National Union of Journalists, Sunday Tribune, 10 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009
13. Mick McCaffrey, Security Editor "PSNI threatens 'Tribune' over terror sources" Archived 2009-05-15 at the Wayback Machine, 3 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009
14. "Judge to rule on Real IRA case", BBC News, 8 May 2009, retrieved 12 May 2009
15. Breen gets time to defend case, The Irish Times, 12 May 2009, retrieved 12 May 2009
16. Reporter wins Real IRA notes case, BBC News, 18 June 2009.
17. "Perils of reporting on terrorism", Mark Simpson, BBC News, 11 June 2009; retrieved 18 June 2009.
18. "Northern Ireland media awards", Belfast Telegraph, 24 June 2016; retrieved 28 January 2017
19. "Journalism awards", Irish Times, 18 January 1999; retrieved 28 January 2017