Appointments to CORU Registration Boards - 23 July 2024

The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has appointed/reappointed the following as members of the Physiotherapists Registration Board, Psychologists Registration Board and the Dietitians Registration Board.

John Biggins

John Biggins is currently a practising barrister, lecturer and researcher. From 2011-2020 John worked for a public sector regulatory body, rising to a senior regulatory manager role. He also has extensive research experience, particularly in the areas of financial regulation and public administration. John has had much of his research published in reputable academic journals and books. John has also had considerable involvement with public interest organisations, having previously worked with a free legal advice centre and with a Dublin Area Citizens Information Centre, where he held a position as an independent non-executive director.

This reappointment is with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and with effect from 20 May 2024 until 19 May 2028.

Hugh Farrell

Hugh Farrell has had an extensive career in middle and senior management positions in Community and Hospital settings, whilst employed by the Western Health Board over 24 years, followed by 17 years as Regional Manager, Irish Wheelchair Association responsible for four Community Healthcare Organisation Areas. Hugh holds a B. Commerce (Honours) University College, Galway and a Diploma in Healthcare Management, Institute of Public Administration. Now retired he still maintains a keen interest in Community, Health and Social Care matters and is currently a Board and Committee Member of a number of organisations in the sector.

This reappointment is with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and with effect from 20 May 2024 until 19 May 2028.

May Cleary

May Cleary was appointed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery UCC/University Hospital Waterford (UHW) in 2019 having previously been appointed as Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in UHW in 2011. She is lead orthopaedic clinician for South/SouthWest Hospital Group on the National Programme for Trauma and Orthopaedics. She served as head of the Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics at University Hospital Waterford/Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital, Kilkenny and has been lead orthopaedic trainer for higher surgical training in UHW in the past. May is a project sponsor for the national office of trauma services and has led a research and quality improvement group comprising both clinicians and musculoskeletal physiotherapists in UHW.

May is a fellowship trained lower limb arthroplasty (joint replacement) surgeon who also deals with general trauma/sports injuries in trauma unit with a catchment population of over 500,000. She is co-director of the MCh in Surgical Science in UCC and lectures/mentors research for other related postgraduate programmes such as the MSc Anatomy and MSc Physiotherapy. She is AO trauma faculty member involved in courses training orthopaedic surgeons internationally and previously chaired the AO principles of fracture management course annually.

Professor Cleary is nominated by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) and appointed by the Minister for Health with effect from 20 May 2024 until 19 May 2028.

Martina Farrell

Martina has worked as an Early Years Inspector undertaking regulatory inspections in preschool services for Tusla (Child and Family Agency) since 2017. She qualified as a registered general nurse in 1994 and is also a registered midwife and public health nurse. Martina has over 26 years of nursing experience in the Irish health service across both acute services and community settings. In 2008, she completed an MSc degree (1st class Hons) in child health at University College Dublin.

Ms Farrell is appointed by the Minister of Health with consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment following a Public Appointments Service campaign with effect from 30 May 2024 until 20 July 2025.

Stephen Kealy

Stephen Kealy is a Registered Psychologist and Fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland, Associate Fellow and Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society, and Fellow of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities, who has worked in the Irish Health System and is currently a lay member of a number of Regulatory Boards Committees.

Mr Kealy is reappointed with effect from 21 July 2024 until 20 July 2028.

Annemarie Bennett

Dr Annemarie Bennett is currently the Assistant Professor in Dietetics in Trinity College. She has a BSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics jointly awarded by Trinity College and TU Dublin and completed her PhD with TU Dublin. She has experience in third-level teaching, particularly in relation to practice education, and experience in cancer and health promotion research. She has also worked with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland to produce national policies and documents that support policy implementation among food businesses and health professionals. This is Annemarie’s second term of office on CORU’s Dietitians Registration Board.

Ms Annemarie is reappointed following election by registrants of the profession and appointed by the Minister for Health with effect from 26 June 2024 until 13 February 2028.