Appointments to the CORU Registration Boards - July and August 2024

The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has appointed/ reappointed these members to the Social Care Workers Registration Board & the Social Workers Registration Board.

Michael Williams

Michael Williams is a social care practitioner with nearly thirty years’ experience. He has worked with both children in mainstream residential care and residential care for adults with an intellectual disability, as well as aftercare for young people leaving residential support. Michael has worked both in the charity and private sectors.

Having gained a professional social care qualification as an in-service student, Michael continued with studies acquiring a post graduate diploma in management and leadership. He has held a management position for fifteen years and currently leads a small independent charity delivering a residential service for adults with an intellectual disability.

Michael Williams is appointed following a PAS campaign with effect from 4 July 2024 to 26 March 2027.

Wayne Tyrrell

Wayne Tyrrell trained and qualified as a military pilot with the Irish Air Corps and served in the Defence Forces as an operational pilot and lawyer for 27 years, retiring as a Wing Commander. He currently holds the role of Senior Legal Advisor with the Irish Aviation Authority. Wayne has a strong commitment to the voluntary sector and serves as a director and company secretary for the homeless charity Anew Support Services.

Wayne Tyrrell is appointed following a PAS campaign, with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment with effect from 4 July 2024 to 5 May 2025.

Eibhlín Mc Namara

Eibhlín Mc Namara is currently working as a Senior Medical Social Worker at St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin. She holds a Batchelor of Social Science from University College Dublin (UCD) where she transitioned onto the Masters of Social Work (UCD). Eibhlin is passionate about her work and up skilling her practice, in 2022 she completed a Certificate in Children and Loss from the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) and she is currently taking a Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care at Queens University Belfast.

Eibhlin qualified as a Social Worker in 2014 and has gained a wealth of experience working in the field. On graduation she joined the Social Work Department at Beaumont Hospital, and in 2021 she began working in the Social Work Department at St Vincent’s University Hospital. Eibhlin is passionate about human rights, equality, diversity, and inclusion, she has a keen interest in anti-oppressive practice. Eibhlin is delighted to contribute to the development of the Social Work profession with CORU.

Eibhlín Mc Namara is appointed following election by registrants of the designated profession with effect from 5 August 2024 to 4 August 2028.

Gabrielle Fitzpatrick

Gabrielle Fitzpatrick has practiced as a Professionally Qualified Social Worker for over 22 years in the areas of mental health, fostering and adoption, medical social work, addiction and CAMHS. She has also worked as a Community Worker/Project Worker for over 7 years in the areas of women’s health, youth addiction, youth work and residential childcare (including Ballydowd Secure Unit). She is involved in ongoing advocacy work in the areas of human rights, social justice, homelessness and housing and all aspects of client /family needs in the area of Adult Mental Health.

Gabrielle graduated; from University College Dublin with an honors Bachelor of Social Science Degree in 1983; from Queens University Belfast with a Masters of Social Work in 1988 and Trinity College Dublin with a post graduate Diploma in Addiction Studies in 1999. As part of the EIP (Early Intervention Psychosis) National Clinical Program Gabrielle has recently successfully completed training as a Behavioral Family Therapist.

Gabrielle is currently a member of the FORSA National Professional Committee of Social Workers. She was previously a member of the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) and of their Special Interest Group (SIG), Social Workers in Adult Mental Health (SWAMH). As a SWAMH CPD Sub Committee Member she was involved in the organization of a Conference held in April 2018 titled “Psychosocial Interventions in Social Work-Championing our Therapeutic Skills”, held in St. Patrick’s Psychiatric Hospital, Dublin 8.

She has been working as an Adult Mental Health Social Worker in the Sligo/Leitrim Mental Health Services for the past 14 years based in Sligo.

Gabrielle Fitzpatrick is appointed following election by registrants of the designated profession with effect from 5 August 2024 to 4 August 2028.

Julie O’ Donnell

Julie O’Donnel qualified as a social worker in 2000 after completing her studies at the University of Ulster in Magee, Derry. Since this time Julie has worked continuously within Irish statutory child protection services and remains with Tusla, The Child and Family Agency. She has worked as a social worker, social work team leader, principal social worker and more recently has been appointed as national general manager for Tusla Barnahus. In this role she works with partners and stakeholders in Ireland to integrate health, medical, child protection, therapeutic and policing services for children where there is a concern of child sexual abuse.

Julie has promoted continuous professional development by supporting those she has worked with, to reflect and respond to identified learning and development needs relevant to their role. She is committed to social work education and is an active member of University of Galway Practice Assurance Panel for the Masters in Social Work.

Julie has a post graduate certificate in public management and a master’s in Leadership and Strategy (IPA 2023) and is eager to contribute to the social work profession by encouraging the highest professional standards.

Julie O’ Donnell is appointed following election by registrants of the designated profession with effect from 5 August 2024 to 4 August 2028.

Bernie Lenihan

Bernie Lenihan is a University Programme Director (profession specific), lecturer and practice placement coordinator of the Social Care Programme at Munster Technological University, Kerry. Bernie’s qualifications include a BA (Hons) in Applied Social Studies in Social Care and an MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. She has a special interest in quality practice development and improving standards of training and education of social care students.

As Programme Director, she played a key role in the successful CORU accreditation of the social care programme at Munster Technological University, Kerry. Bernie has over 17 years of experience in the social care sector, including working with marginalised groups, children and families, and working at management level. She has expertise in strategic management, policy development, and risk and change management to enable better outcomes for service users, their families and the wider community.

Bernie Lenihan is nominated by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (FHERIS) and appointed by the Minister of Health with effect from 5 August 2024 to 4 August 2028.