Suzanne Breen (born 1967) is an Irish journalist.
Career Suzanne Breen graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with an honours degree in English and Politics in 1989 and went on to take the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) course in newspaper journalism at Belfast's College of Business Studies.
She began her career at the Irish News and then in 1992 joined the Belfast office of the Irish Times where she held several posts from general news reporter to Senior Northern Correspondent.
She was the Northern Ireland editor for the Sunday Tribune,Police 'demand Real IRA sources', BBC News, 3 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009 before joining the Belfast Telegraph as Political Editor in 2017. She has written for Village Magazine on Northern Irish issues.Suzanne Breen,"Johnny Adair: "Any Taig Will Do", Village Magazine, 8 January 2005; retrieved 12 May 2009."Who in Sinn Féin was IRA?", 26 February 2005; retrieved 12 May 2009.Suzanne Breen, "Sinn Féin rides the wave of political fall-out", Village Magazine, 8 January 2005; retrieved 12 May 2009. and has also contributed to several other Irish magazines such as Fortnight and Magill.
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."Real IRA ‘claims’ deadly British army attack" , France 24, 8 March 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009.Henry McDonald, "Irish journalist says she will not disclose Real IRA sources", The Guardian, 12 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009.
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. She was supported by the National Union of Journalists and the Sunday Tribune.Mick McCaffrey, Security Editor , 3 May 2009; retrieved 12 May 2009 Breen stated that her life could be in danger if she reveals her sources."Judge to rule on Real IRA case", BBC News, 8 May 2009, retrieved 12 May 2009
Initially, the judge said he was minded to grant the order to the PSNI,Breen gets time to defend case, The Irish Times, 12 May 2009, retrieved 12 May 2009 but, in June 2009, the High Court in Belfast ruled in her favour, saying she did not have to hand over her notes.Reporter wins Real IRA notes case, BBC News, 18 June 2009. 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."Perils of reporting on terrorism", Mark Simpson, BBC News, 11 June 2009; retrieved 18 June 2009.
Awards Northern Ireland Journalist of the Year (1994) Northern Ireland Feature Journalist of the Year (1995, 1996, 1997, 2010, 2016)."Northern Ireland media awards", Belfast Telegraph, 24 June 2016; retrieved 28 January 2017 Outstanding journalism by women on the island of Ireland (1999)."Journalism awards", Irish Times, 18 January 1999; retrieved 28 January 2017
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