Appointments to the Board of Children’s Health Ireland - 20 January 2025

Following the nomination by the board of Children’s Health Ireland, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has appointed the following as members of the board of Children’s Health Ireland.

Ms Orla O’Brien

Orla O’Brien was appointed to the Board in January 2025. Orla is currently Chief Executive of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and has spent 35 years working in the Irish healthcare system. A former registered children’s / general nurse, she is an experienced healthcare leader having held several leadership and executive roles across the health system, from acute healthcare to the Department of Health. Orla holds a BSc, MSc, and a Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance. She is a Chartered Director and a member of the Board of the European Blood Alliance where she holds the role of Treasurer.

Ms Orla O’Brien is appointed with effect from 15 January 2025 until 14 January 2029.

Dr Ruben Diaz

Ruben Diaz, M.D., Ph.D. is the Deputy CEO for International affairs at Sant Joan de Deu Barcelona Children’s Hospital and the Secretary General for European Children’s Hospitals Organisation (ECHO), an organisation that brings together Children’s hospitals across Europe.

As Deputy CEO for International affairs, he supports the hospital’s collaborative efforts with different international healthcare and public institutions in all areas of mutual interest. As the Secretary General for ECHO, he manages an organisation that includes participation of leading tertiary care children’s hospitals from 14 different European countries. The mission of ECHO is to “advocate for children’s health and their access to the best quality care.” ECHO is developing several interrelated work lines to support paediatric centres improve their quality and safety, promote collaborative research and innovation and enrich their capacity for training and workforce development. It also aspires to participate in forums that help establish policy in paediatric care while advocating for the needs of children who require tertiary care.

He is a M.D., Ph.D graduate from Washington University Medical School at Saint Louis, USA, in 1991 and completed both his paediatric residency and paediatric endocrinology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1997. He had been part of the BCH medical/research staff and Harvard Medical School faculty for 15 years. In 2005, he became the Chief of the Endocrine Division at Hospital Sant Joan de Deu. Since then, he has held different leadership positions, including Chief Medical Officer (2008-14), Chief Knowledge and Training Officer (2014-16) prior to his current duties. He remains in practice as a paediatric endocrinologist and is a member of a clinical research group focused on diabetes and metabolic regulation.

Dr Ruben Diaz is appointed with effect from 15 January 2025 until 3 December 2025.