Press release
Five new members to join Fáilte Ireland - the National Tourism Development Authority
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin T.D. has today announced the following five new appointments to Fáilte Ireland - the National Tourism Development Authority:
Commenting on the appointments, Minister Martin said:
"I wish to congratulate all five appointees, each of whom has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to excellence in their respective fields and wish them the very best during their terms. The appointments of such high calibre candidates to the National Tourism Development Authority further enhances the strategic direction and vision for the work of Fáilte Ireland."
Speaking today, Chairperson of Fáilte Ireland Ruth Andrews said:
"On behalf of the Authority and the executive team at Fáilte Ireland, I warmly welcome and congratulate the new members of the Authority. Each of them is highly qualified, experienced, and respected in their fields. I am looking forward to working with them as we continue to support our tourism industry in developing sustainably and prospering. The wealth of experience these five new members bring will add enormous value to Fáilte Ireland, to the tourism sector, and to the country as a whole.”
The appointments follow a public call for applications on www.stateboards.ie and an assessment process.
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
Ms. Catherine Corbett
Catherine brings over three decades of senior financial leadership experience spanning large, medium and small businesses in professional services, law and advertising. Her strong track record has included her most recent executive role as CFO for Deloitte Ireland and previously Head of Finance at EY.
Catherine is also an experienced Non-Executive Director currently serving on the Boards of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Zero Waste Scotland, where she is the Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee. Previously, she served on the Board of The National Children’s Hospital Foundation in various roles ranging from member of the Finance and Investment Committees to Chair of the Board.
Having lived in Brussels, Paris and London, working for Big 4 and FTSE 100 multinationals, Catherine also brings a broad international perspective.
Dr Donagh Davern
Dr Donagh Davern FIHI is a hospitality lecturer and a former hotel General Manager. He graduated from Shannon College of Hotel Management and has worked in the hotel sector in Ireland, Switzerland and the USA. He managed his first hotel, the 5 Star Killarney Park Hotel, at the age of 25 and was awarded the IHI Young Hospitality Manager of the Year for Ireland at that time. He studied for an M.Sc. in Hospitality Management at TUD and went on to complete his professional accounting exams to be designated a CPA. He was awarded Fellowship of the Irish Hospitality Institute. He pursued part-time doctoral studies in Hospitality Management at the University of Surrey on the subject of Employer Branding and was awarded his PhD in 2020. Donagh is a lecturer in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality at Munster Technological University and he regularly contributes to media on the subject of the hospitality industry. Donagh is involved annually in hotel inspections for a national award and he serves as a non-Executive Director for a number of not-for-profit companies. He is also a Judge for the Irish Hotels Federation Quality Employer of the Year Awards and their National Employee of the Year. Donagh has recently led the Working Group to reimagine and relaunch the Quality Employer Programme for the Irish Hotels Federation.
Dr Anna M. Kelly
Dr Anna M. Kelly, a highly regarded inclusion and accessibility expert. Her career began as a Home Economics teacher, now spans more than four decades, primarily in Further and Higher Education. She is an experienced teacher, principal, senior education leader, a published author, and an independent non-executive director, with extensive expertise in diversity, accessibility, and inclusive design. Anna has significant expertise, knowledge and a track record in senior institutional leadership in UCD, FÁS, NRB and St Michael’s House.
Anna served as Director, Access & Lifelong Learning in University College Dublin for more than a decade, where she designed the University for All model, Ireland’s first programme of institutional transformation and culture change, to develop an inclusive and diverse educational experience for all students, regardless of background or circumstances.
Anna’s work on accessibility and inclusivity continues: she is Adjunct Associate Professor and Co-Director at UCD’s Inclusive Design Research Centre. She also undertakes independent evaluations of further and higher education, on behalf of Quality & Qualifications Ireland. She is an Independent Non-Executive Director of the Muiríosa Foundation, chairs the Irish Universities Association 1916 Bursary Independent Appeals Panel, and is a member of the Editorial Board and Innovative Practice Editor, Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning Journal, at The Open University, UK.
Mr. Daniel McLoughlin
Daniel has worked for over 30 years in local government leadership positions including as Chief Executive in Leitrim, Westmeath and South Dublin County Councils. He has extensive experience in Tourism strategy development and related infrastructure delivery including numerous projects which have contributed to experiential tourism and sustainability across Arts, culture, sporting and heritage experiences. The Shannon riverside boardwalk amenity, Leitrim leisure complex and the Dock in Carrick on Shannon, the Luan art gallery and Castle visitor centre in Athlone, the Clondalkin round tower visitor centre, the Dodder greenway, the acquisition of Lucan house, the Dublin Mountain visitor centre and the expansion and redevelopment of Tallaght Stadium are representative of his delivery of projects supporting and promoting Tourism as an agent of economic growth. In the delivery of these projects, he has worked closely and collaborated with local communities, business interests, Fáilte Ireland, OPW, Waterways Ireland, government departments and agencies. He has also been centrally involved in public policy and strategy development at national level including roles as chair of the City and County Management Association, chair of the Dublin Housing Supply Task Force, Chair of national local authority climate action steering group, a member of the grow Dublin Tourism Taskforce, Dublin Regional Tourism coordination steering group and the National Sports leadership group.
Drawing on his comprehensive experience across national and local leadership positions Daniel currently provides independent management consultancy services across the public and private sectors.
Ms. Una Ryder
Una Ryder is a senior director with over 30 years’ domestic and international experience working in, and advising on, the aviation and tourism-related sectors, as well as in professional services. Her core expertise is in marketing, brand and business strategy including consumer insight, market segmentation, product and service innovation and marketing communications. She holds an honours MBA from UCD, Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business and a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors. She is a non-Executive Director of a national charity in the healthcare sector.