Appointments to the CORU Registration Boards - 24 September 2024

Following a Public Service Appointments campaign, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has appointed the following as professional members of Registration Boards.

Sorcha McNamara

Sorcha currently works as a Senior Dietitian in the National Rehabilitation Hospital with over four years’ experience supporting spinal and paediatric patients undergoing rehab. Prior to this she worked for the NHS in Manchester across acute and community settings. Sorcha also had a 13-year marketing career in multi-national food and drink industries.

With an MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics, BA Mod in Biochemistry, PGDip in Business Studies and a Green Belt in Healthcare Process Improvement she has a breadth of qualifications and experiences. She is personally and professionally committed to the field of dietetics and is ambitious to see the profession develop,

Sorcha McNamara is appointed with effect from 24 September 2024 to 13 February 2028.

Fiona Armstrong

Fiona Armstrong is an occupational therapist with extensive experience in the Irish healthcare system working in both acute and community settings, with children and adult services. Fiona currently works in private practice and her interests include early intervention, children with additional needs and supporting children in education. She is completing a PhD program on child development and play with a focus on how children develop executive function and life skills by learning how to risk assess, increase self-awareness of their strengths and abilities and learn safety awareness, through play.

Fiona Armstrong is appointed with effect from 24 September 2024 to 13 February 2028.

John Gormley

John Gormley qualified from the University of Ulster and is currently Professor in Physiotherapy in the University of Dublin, Trinity College. During his career in Trinity College, he has taught on undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy/health sciences related programmes. He has also set up and led many undergraduate and postgraduate programmes both nationally and internationally. He has an active research programme examining physical activity/exercise in chronic disease and has published widely in this area.

John Gormley is appointed with effect from 24 September 2024 to 23 September 2028.

Paula Prendeville

Paula Prendeville is a senior psychologist in the Brothers of Charity Adult Intellectual Disability service in Cork. She is a chartered educational psychologist with extensive experience in disability across the lifespan. She is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and sits on its ethics committee. As a member of the BPS Division of Child and Educational Psychology Partnership and Accreditation Committee, Paula has lead accreditations of Professional Doctoral Programmes in Educational Psychology in the UK. She was appointed to the National Research Ethics Committee for Clinical Trials and is currently serving her second term. Paula holds a PhD in professional ethics from UCD.

This appointment is with effect from 24 September 2024 to 20 July 2027.

Aideen Lawlor

Aideen Lawlor graduated as a speech and Language therapist in 1997 from Strathclyde University in the UK. She has worked in both Ireland and in the United Kingdom. Since 2007, Aideen has been the speech and language therapy manager in St Mary’s Hospital HSE. She has also managed speech and Language therapists working in primary care and paediatric disability services within her local area from 2013-2022.

Aideen Lawlor is appointed with effect from 24 September 2024 to 23 September 2028.

Fionnula Duffy

Fionnuala Duffy is the speech and language therapist manager and Head of Health & Social Care Professions at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. She has over thirty years’ experience in adult acute care and rehabilitation. Fionnuala has a B.Sc. in Clinical Speech & Language Studies, an M.Sc. in Health Service Management from Trinity College Dublin and recently completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Governance (NUI/IPA). Fionnuala has been one of the clinical leads on the Rehabilitation Medicine Programme and the Health & Social Care Professions Lead for the National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy Implementation Group.

Fionnuala Duffy is appointed with effect from 24 September 2024 to 23 September 2028.

Jen Moloney

Jen Moloney graduated from the University of Galway with a BSc in Speech and Language Therapy in 2009 and began her clinical career in the NHS. In 2011, she moved back to Ireland to join the SLT Department in Beaumont Hospital, where she held a number of senior roles in both older persons rehabilitation and practice education. She took up the role of Senior SLT for Specialist Palliative Care services in Milford Hospice in Limerick in 2017, while also lecturing part-time in Trinity College Dublin. In 2019, she joined the SLT Department in University Hospital Limerick where she worked as the Clinical Specialist SLT for the Stroke and Neurology services. She currently works as the Speech and Language Therapist Manager for the University of Limerick Hospital Group – a role she has held since 2020. She successfully defended her PhD in Trinity College Dublin in 2022 and she continues to contribute to the teaching of postgraduate students in Trinity College Dublin, with a focus on quality of life and patient-reported outcome measures in the dysphagia population.

Jen Moloney is appointed with effect from 24 September 2024 to 23 September 2028.