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Tributes follow death of Sir Desmond Rea, 89

Eimear FlanaganBBC News NI
Pacemaker Sir Desmond Rea, a man with a shaved head and a short, white beard, walks towards the camera outside the Titanic Belfast building in 2022. He is wearing glasses, a grey/beige anorack over a navy suit jacket, blue and white shirt and a navy tie. Pacemaker
The late Sir Desmond Rea was described as a "distinguished public servant" who held many high-profile roles

Tributes have been paid to Sir Desmond Rea - the first chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board - who has died aged 89.

A successful businessman and academic, he held a number of high-profile positions in the public, private and voluntary sectors during a career which spanned decades.

He was awarded a knighthood in 2004 for services to policing.

The current Policing Board Chair, Brendan Mullan, described Sir Desmond as "one of the founding fathers of the new policing arrangements in Northern Ireland".

"He brought leadership, vision, and unwavering drive and determination as he guided the newly established Policing Board.

"Not only was Sir Desmond a respected leader, he was also a mentor, supporter, and source of encouragement to many," Mullan said.

Northern Ireland's Justice Minister Naomi Long said he would "long be remembered" for his role on the policing board during "a critical and sensitive time".

"I extend my deepest sympathies to Sir Desmond's wife Maeve, his daughters and the wider family," she added.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland's Chief Constable, Jon Boutcher said Sir Desmond Rea was one of the most "significant figures in the transformation of policing in Northern Ireland".

"He brought calm authority, integrity and independence at a time when confidence in policing was fragile and deeply divided," he said.

The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin said Sir Desmond "made an enormous contribution to the transformation of policing in Northern Ireland in the years after the Good Friday Agreement".

Martin described him as a "man of tremendous integrity, dedicated to public service" and said he was "deeply saddened" by his death.

NI Policing Board Sir Desmond Rea sitting at a table in front of a microphone with a row of other people sitting beside him. He is bald, wearing glasses, a black blazer, pink shirt and red tie.NI Policing Board
Sir Desmond Rea with the then Vice Chairman Denis Bradley and Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde in 2006

The Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, said he was "saddened" to learn the news.

"He played a pivotal role in embedding the peace process in Northern Ireland, in particular the transformation of policing through his leadership of the Northern Ireland Policing Board," he said.

Outside of his police oversight role, Sir Desmond's high-profile positions included a six-year term as chairman of the Labour Relations Agency, and chairmanships of several educational organisations.

He worked as a professor of human resources management at the University of Ulster and held roles with banks, a dairy cooperative and the UK Security Industry Authority.

Sir Desmond also chaired Stranmillis University College's governing body for eight years until his retirement in 2022.