Eileen Bell

Eileen Bell CBE (born 15 August 1943) is a retired Alliance Party politician from Dromara, Northern Ireland.

She held a number of jobs including working in the Civil Service and later as Welfare Officer for the Community of the Peace People.

In June 2001, Bell was appointed Deputy Leader of the Alliance by Seán Neeson, following the resignation of Seamus Close over disagreements on the party's direction.

However, Neeson himself soon resigned and Bell stood for the leadership as a traditionalist bridge-building candidate, against David Ford who was on the more consciously Liberal, internationalist wing of the party.

After leaving political life Eileen Bell turned to a charity she had long supported and became vice president and Legislative Advisor to Autism NI.