Stephen O’Byrnes
Stephen O’Byrnes, MPRII, is a director at MKC Communications.
Stephen has unrivalled experience in journalism, media relations and public affairs. He spent 15 years as a journalist with the Irish Independent, where he was News Analysis Editor and with the Irish Press Group (Local Government Correspondent, Political Correspondent, etc.)
Subsequently, he was recruited as National Press Officer and Policy Director of the Progressive Democrats in 1986, shortly after the Party’s foundation. He worked with the party for nine years, and was the Party’s Government Press Secretary in the 1989 – 1992 Coalition Government with Fianna Fáil.
In 1995, Stephen left politics and has worked in PR and public affairs since then. At MKC he leads the company’s public affairs team. He has extensive experience of devising and managing public affairs strategies for a wide range of clients over the past decade, and his current clients include Covanta, the Medical Council, the Irish Pharmacy Union, Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Bank of Ireland and Group 4 Securicor.
A former member of the RTÉ Authority, Stephen is the author of a history of Fine Gael (published 1986) and a former lecturer on public affairs with the PRII. He is also a regular media contributor on current affairs. Separately, he is a board member of Arthritis Ireland and of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
