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Appointment of two elected members to the Optical Registration Board:
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, T.D., has appointed the following persons as members of the Optical Registration Board, on their election by the registrants of the designated profession with effect from 16th February 2023 until 10th February 2027.
Jill qualified as a Dispensing Optical in 2004 via ABDO Distance Learning and holds dual registration with CORU in the ROI and GOC 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. Jill is currently sitting a second term as a Dispensing Optical Practitioner representative on CORU’s Fitness to Practice – Professional Conduct Committee. Prior to that appointment, she was the DO practitioner representative on CORU’s education review panel overseeing recognition of the Ophthalmic Dispensing course offered by DIT under the Opticians Act. She has previously tutored for the ABDO Distance Learning Dispending Optical Course and examined for WCSM optical support courses. She has written, delivered and facilitated many CPD sessions for both Optical and Audiology professionals. She is currently involved in tutoring the BTEX level 4 Certificate in Optical Dispending as a progression path towards the ABDO Dispensing diploma; and as a mentor to TUD DO students on placement. Jill would like to see a continued multi-disciplinary approach to patient care and the expansion of the scope of practice for both Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians.
Born as the fifth child to a banker and a primary school headmistress in August 1985 in a coal mining township of the then eastern Nigeria, Enugu State, Johnpaul grew up in a home with strict educational competition to impress a hardworking father and a national school headmistress. He always loved science as a student, aspired to be a medical doctor but, by touch of luck, gained admission to study optometry in the state-owned university, Abia State University in 2002. He graduated after 6 years,
completing the award of Doctor of Optometry degree. Johnpaul proceeded to perform the mandatory one-year internship experience and a one-year national youth corp. service in Nigeria. He moved to Saudi Arabia in the fall of 2011 and practiced optometry until mid-2016 when he moved to Ireland for further studies in Public Health, majoring in health promotion and policies with a Master’s degree from UCC in Cork. Previous work experience includes Specsavers Opticians in Swords, Co. Dublin. In 2021, Johnpaul made partnership in Ballina Specsavers after completing a series of training including a diploma in level 3 (ILM3) and directorship pathway courses. In 2022, he left the ophthalmic directorship position in Specsavers and registered his own limited company Odigbo Ltd.