Mr. Jim Fennell, Chairman (2008 – 2013)
Mr. Fennell is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and holds the position of Financial Controller and Secretary to the Governing Body of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).
In addition to his role at GMIT he holds a number of directorships including:
- Treasurer of Galway Chamber of Commerce
- Galway Technology Centre
- An Chéim (Collaborative Higher Education Information Management) – including Chairman of Audit Committee
- HEAnet (Ireland’s National Education and Research Network) and Chairman of the HEAnet Finance Sub-committee
- Mayo County Council Audit Committee
Mr. Richie Flynn (2007 – 2012)
Mr. Flynn is currently the executive secretary of the IFA’s Fish Farming Section, incorporating the Irish Salmon Growers’ Association and the Irish Shellfish Association. He holds the position of Chairman of the EU Commission’s Aquaculture Advisory Committee and of the Environment Committee of the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP).
Mr. Francis Coyle (2010 – 2015)
Mr. Coyle had a long career with Donegal County Council serving in various posts from 1974 to 2010. From 2001 he was Director of Services for Planning and Economic Development. He worked with Letterkenny Town Council and was also Manager of Ballyshannon Town Council from 2005 to 2010. He was the Council’s European Liaison Officer with the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) for sixteen years. During the period 1995–1999 he managed the Council’s multi million pound Peace and Reconciliation funding and was Secretary to the Donegal Task Force for Peace and Reconciliation. Mr. Coyle has also worked closely with the International Fund for Ireland and other funding mechanisms such as INTERREG, and Peace lll to develop multi-faceted community and recreation regeneration projects designed to enhance towns and villages, both in Donegal and on a cross border basis. He is a past Director of Donegal Airport Company Ltd and is currently engaged in project management and co-ordination.
Dr. Eleanor O’Higgins (2007 – 2012)
Eleanor O’Higgins (BA, MSc, MBA, PhD) is on the faculty of the Business Schools at UCD and a Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She specialises in teaching, research and publications in corporate governance, strategic management, business ethics and corporate social responsibility. She is the author of numerous papers in academic and professional journals, newspaper articles, book chapters and case studies. She is a director of Transparency International Ireland; Chairman of the Ethics Education Committee of the US Academy of Management and of the Board of Management of The Institute of Directors Centre for Corporate Governance at UCD. Previously, she worked as a research psychologist at Harvard University Medical School, as a clinical psychologist in the Irish health services, and as staff development manager in RTE. She has served on the board of directors of IDA Ireland and of the Well Woman Group of health clinics.
Professor Bernie M Hannigan (2007-2012)
Professor Hannigan is Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. Previously she was Dean of the Faculty of Life & Health Sciences, also at Ulster. Professor Hannigan is an Immunologist with particular interest in the relationships between nutrition and immune competence.
Educated at Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, she has published almost 100 peer-reviewed papers, supervised 20 students to successful doctoral graduation and attracted significant external research funding from a variety of UK and international sources. Professor Hannigan currently is responsible for ensuring the quality of research carried out across all disciplines in the University and for the commercial development of research findings. Externally she is director of a range of organisations that include science parks, knowledge / technology exchange and the support of emerging technology-based companies. Her membership of the Board of Invest Northern Ireland ensures that the potential economic contribution of the universities is included in regional development strategy within the province.
Mr. Michael Walsh (2007 – 2012)
Michael Walsh was one of the founders of the Irish South & East Fishermen Organisation formed in 2002. He then worked at setting up the Irish South And East Fish Producers Organisation which received recognition in December 2004.He currently holds position of CEO of the South & East Fish Producers Organisation and Chairmanship of the Federation of Irish Fishermen which was founded late 2006.
Mr Walsh, has approx 15 years Fishing experience and has a vast knowledge of various types of sea fishing and fish patterns. He crewed on board many sea fishing vessels, before becoming skipper in 1994 following his completion of the Skipper Limited Certificate of competency in Greencastle, Co Donegal.
Dr. Emer Rogan (2007 – 2012)
Emer Rogan is a college lecturer at the Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science in University College, Cork. She obtained her BSc in 1984 at University College, Dublin and her PhD at University College, Cork in 1990. Since then she has specialised in the conservation biology, ecology and management of marine mammals and, in particular, the Bottlenose dolphin.
She is currently working on a photoidentification database that will enable observers to track individual animals and provide valuable information regarding population viability and management strategies.
Mr. Lorcán Ó Cinnéide (2010 - 2015)
Lorcán Ó Cinnéide is CEO of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation and a director of the Federation of Irish Fishermen. He is also a member of the EU's Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Northwestern Waters Regional Advisory Council and a member of the Aquaculture License Appeals Board.
From the Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry, Mr. Ó Cinnéide is a graduate in Economics and Politics from Trinity College Dublin and a former fishing vessel owner who has had twenty years association with the Irish fishing industry in various capacities. Mr. Ó Cinnéide has had a broad range of interests in the fields of regional economic development.