Appointments to the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and 4 Registration Boards it oversees - 21 March 2025

The Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has appointed/reappointed the following persons as members of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the Registration Boards it oversees.

Jillian Flaherty

Jill qualified as a dispensing optician in 2004 via the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) Distance Learning and holds dual registration with CORU in Ireland and General Optical Council in the UK. She has extensive experience in both independent and multiple practice settings. Jill is actively involved with education, training and promotion of the profession.

In her current role, Jill supports the leadership and peer-to-peer development of clinicians, across Ireland and the UK, as they work towards their ambition of becoming practice owners at Specsavers.Jill previous roles with CORU include Professional Conduct Committee and Educational review panel.

Jillian Flaherty is appointed following nomination by the Optical Registration Board and is with effect from 11 February 2025 until 10 February 2027.

Julie O’Donnell

Julie O’Donnell 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 master’s 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 nomination by the Social Workers Registration Board is with effect from 20 February 2025 until 4 August 2028.

Cathy Doyle

Cathy Doyle has experience working in healthcare and academia spanning 24 years. Currently she is a lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and is an academic external examiner at Atlantic Technical University and the Institute of Public Administration. Since 2020, she has been a non-executive director at St Francis Hospice, Dublin. Her areas of professional interest include corporate governance, risk management, audit, and quality assurance.

Ms Doyle is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Her appointment is with effect from 20 February 2025 until 18 November 2028.

David Johnston

David Johnston is a dietitian with over two years’ experience. He has delivered care across multiple settings, from integrated care hubs in Dublin to the most remote and rural towns in Western Australia, supporting patients with their chronic disease management. Having joined a rehabilitation hospital in Dublin, David now leads quality improvement initiatives that foster multidisciplinary collaboration and interdepartmental teamwork.

As a member of the Dietitians Registration Board, David will offer his insights into all the points of care where dietitians meet patients. Dedicated to advancing dietetic practice himself, he has published research on vitamin D deficiency and area-level deprivation, obesity and diabetes management, and therapeutic diets in Irish hospitals.

Mr Johnston is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign with effect from 14 February 2025 until 13 February 2029.

Barbara Shinners

Barbara Shinners is a graduate of TU Dublin/Trinity College Dublin with a joint TU Dublin/TCD BSc degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and holds a master’s degree in leadership in Healthcare from University College Cork. Barbara has a predominate professional interest in disability as a past Chair of the disability special interest group in the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute and has contributed to submissions for dietetics in disability on behalf of the profession and to national clinical practice guidelines. Professional disability service roles include senior dietitian, dietitian manager and Children’s Disability Network Manager. Barbara has most recently joined the dietetics team in St. Michaels House as a senior paediatric dietitian in Dublin North.

Ms Shinners is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign with effect from 14 February 2025 until 13 February 2029.

Dr Tim Hinchey

Dr Tim Hinchey is a medical doctor in practice in Dublin north inner city. He is a graduate of the School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin and a member of the Irish College of General Practitioners. His special interests include sports medicine and men’s health, and he has served as a team doctor for several high-profile sports teams. Tim was appointed to the Press Council of Ireland in August 2020. He is currently serving his second term on the Council.

Dr Hinchey is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign with effect from 14 February 2025 until 13 February 2029.

Kathleen Walsh

Kathleen Walsh is a registered general nurse, with an MS in Nursing, MSc in Healthcare Ethics and Law and a Graduate Diploma in Healthcare Quality and Risk Management. She is also a registered teacher. Kathleen has held various positions within healthcare regulation and nursing, including the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council as Programme Development Officer responsible for Education and Standards. Prior to this role, she was with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for over 15 years, as Project Officer for the introduction of nurse and midwife prescribing and then as Professional Officer for Standards of Practice and Guidance. Previous clinical nursing experience involved acute surgical and trauma care and clinical research.

Kathleen is now a Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) Practitioner providing STH services (Gardening for Growth and Healing), collaborating with other health and social care professionals and community organisations to facilitate individuals’ and groups’ health and wellbeing through gardening and nature.

Ms Walsh is reappointed with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment with effect from 14 February 2025 until 13 February 2029.

Edmund O’Dea

Dr Edmund O’Dea has been a clinical psychologist since 1993 and worked in the NHS and the HSE for over 30 years. He also previously held the position of chairperson of the Mental Health Commission. Dr O’Dea retired from the HSE in December 2024 and currently works as a clinical psychologist in private practice in Limerick.

Mr O’Dea is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign with effect from 12 February 2025 to 20 July 2025.

John Hanily

John Hanily is a Principal Environmental Health Officer (EHO) with the National Health Service Executive in Roscommon with over 40 years’ experience. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of regulation, enforcement and compliance over the past forty-two years as an EHO, including risk assessment, regulation and inspection, education and enforcement/legal services. John has existing and previous state board experience, knowledge, expertise and upskilling in the areas of maintenance of standards in professions and investigation and consideration of complaints relating to professionals and services, ‘Corporate Governance’, ‘Better Boards’ and ‘Standards of Proficiency’, where protection of the public and consumers of services is fundamental.

Mr Hanily is reappointed with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and with effect from 14 February 2024 to 13 February 2029.

Amit Bhagwat

Amit has led a diverse portfolio giving over half his time freely to a range of worthy causes, judging them by their world value and his ability to make a positive difference. Working across multiple concurrent roles, he has accumulated over five decades of board background. Amit also brings a rich committees’ portfolio – covering, besides wide range of board subcommittees and Scientific Advisory Committees, areas important to professional regulations Quality-Accreditations, Continuing Development, Occupational Safety & Health, Ethics, Inclusion.

Amit has been able to look at professions and professionalism from a Public Protection-Interest-Accountability-Value angle, with nuanced analysis of the ethical dimension, stepping back from narrow “professional protectionism/minimalism” standpoints. He has also advised on Artificial Intelligence and Professional Ethics considerations in a world of increasingly autonomous decision-support and decision-making systems. Amit has served as board member of the Professional Associations Research Network allowing him to analyse over 100 professional associations from around the world. His wider board portfolio exposes him to a rich variety of professions in various stages of professional definition, regulation and protectionism.

On the island of Ireland, besides his work on the Occupational Therapists Registration Board and the Medical Scientists Registration Board covering a complex set of professions, he lends his expertise to improving Practice & Education of Nursing & Midwifery. Amit also serves on the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) and as the council’s representative on the Steering structure of the Special EU Programmes Body, working to maximise sustainable development and cross-border peace & harmony, through the ~€1B programme.

In the wider world, Amit is also known for chairing charities, serving as chair/senior independent member of high profile statutory assessments/reviews, chairing a range of international/national events with a spectrum of audiences from learned technical events to broad audience events across Health and Justice, serving on Scientific Advisory Bodies and Professional Learned Bodies respected across and beyond OECD, chairing international conferences of learned and professional bodies – also looking into changing nature of learning and practices, and in public protection-engagement-accountability-value maximisation roles. He has contributed a series of talks for learned & professional audiences covering various facets of Professional Life and Professionalism, among them Sustainability, Empathy & Inclusion, and role of Professional & Learned Bodies in modern society.

Mr Bhagwat reappointed with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and with effect from 14 February 2024 to 13 February 2029.

Bernadette Moran

Bernadette Moran is a consultant radiographer with expertise in clinical radiographic practice, nuclear medicine, and patient radiation safety. She has served in roles such as Radiographic Services Manager at St. James Hospital, Director of the MSc in Medical Imaging at Trinity College Dublin and Advisor to the HSE national clinical audit team. Bernadette was instrumental in establishing organisations such as the Irish Nuclear Medicine Association and the Irish DXA Society and has contributed significantly to advancing patient radiation protection, education, and training.

Bernadette’s advisory roles include contributions to the transposition of radiation protection legislation and development of national guidelines for radiological procedures for statutory and regulatory organisations. Additionally, she has served on national, European, and international committees on radiation safety and authored publications highlighting a leadership role to ensure high standards of professional education and patient care safety.

Ms Moran is appointed with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment effect from 12 February 2025 to 13 February 2028.

Shane Knox

Dr Shane Knox is a registered advanced paramedic and Director of Paramedicine within the National Ambulance Service. He has completed a Master’s programme in Human Resource Management/ Development and one in Health Professions Education. He graduated from the School of Medicine in University of Limerick with a PhD on the subject of Continuous Professional Development and is currently an Adjunct Clinical Professor with University College Cork’s School of Medicine. He was a ministerial appointment to the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council and is currently a member of the HSE-National Ambulance Service Executive Team.

Dr Knox is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign with effect from 14 February 2024 to 13 February 2029.

Michele Kerrigan

Michele Kerrigan holds the position of Executive Director at Care After Prison, leveraging over twenty years of expertise in organisational leadership. She holds a Master of Arts in Management with a focus on Community and Voluntary Services. Michele has held various board positions and is currently the Chair for Mental Health Reform. She is deeply committed to enhancing mental health services, promoting social inclusion, and advocating for justice. In her leisure time, she engages in the practice of Pilates and personal training, while also enjoying reading and travelling.

Ms Kerrigan is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign with effect from 14 February 2024 to 13 February 2029.

Ms Eibhlin O’Leary

Ms Eibhlin O’Leary is a Programme Manager and member of the Senior Management Team at the Health and Safety Authority in Ireland. She has over 20 years’ experience in regulation, enforcement and building stakeholder relationships to raise standards and improve safety. Prior to joining the Health and Safety Authority she held senior positions regulating Children’s Services and Food Safety in two leading public agencies in Ireland. Eibhlin holds a BSc, an MSc and a MBS in leadership, organisational change and strategy.

Ms Eibhlin O’Leary is reappointed with effect from 14 February 2025 to 13 February 2029.

Dr Seán O’Leary

Seán O’Leary is Senior Planner with the Irish Planning Institute, the all-island professional membership body for spatial planners, where he leads on policy, research and education. Previously, he has worked in the public sector on climate adaptation and resilience policy and in community, rural and regional development. He holds a BSc Government and Public Policy, master’s in planning and Sustainable Development and PhD from University College Cork and has lectured part-time in planning, sustainability, and climate policy.

Dr Seán O’Leary is reappointed with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment effect from 14 February 2025 to 13 February 2029.

Evelyn Cawley

Evelyn Cawley's experience and knowledge, both practical and academic, is ideally suited to support and to set professional standards for the delivery of a value for money and quality service to the public. Evelyn has a strong track record in, and commitment to, public service delivery and professional training. Her work has spanned diverse areas at both policy and operational level such as in education, social work and community development, and more recently in the mental health and disability sectors. Evelyn’s experience as a board member, both in the private and voluntary sectors, has given her a good understanding of diverse organisations. She also has broad experience in regulated areas; first-hand experience of the management needs and accountability required by the state to ensure compliance and adherence to corporate governance and social responsibility.

Evelyn Cawley is reappointed with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment effect from 14 February 2025 to 13 February 2029.

Uchenna Onyebuchi Ezeokeke

Uchenna Onyebuchi Ezeokeke graduated in 1999 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka with BSc (Hons) in Medical Radiography and Radiological Sciences and obtained a master’s degree in health planning and management in 2010. He held several different roles in the field of radiography in Nigeria and was also involved in the development of the postgraduate diploma and master’s degree in radiation protection of the Institute and the Department of Physics, University of Ibadan. In 2011, he returned to clinical practice and rose to become Head of Radiology Department, Bwari General Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. In February 2023, he joined his current employer, Affidea Diagnostic Ireland Limited as a general radiographer. Uchenna is an enthusiastic advocate of Digital Health Transformation and the integration of AI technologies for improved patient management and is also involved in research activities with several publications to date.

Mr Ezeokeke is appointed following a Public Jobs campaign and with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment with effect from 14 February 2025 to 13 February 2029.