Minister Calleary appoints a New Board of the Labour Relations Commission

The Minister for Labour Affairs, Mr Dara Calleary T.D., today (Tuesday 14th July 2009) announced the new Board of the Labour Relations Commission. The new Board took up Office on 7 July 2009 and has been appointed for a term of 3 years.

The Members of the Board are:

• Ms Breege O’Donoghue, Chairperson. (formerly a Member of the Board)

• Mr Gerard Barry, Ministerial nominee

• Mr Iarla Duffy, Ministerial nominee (new appointment)

• Mr Brendan McGinty, Employers' nominee

• Mr John Hennessy, Employers' nominee (new appointment)

• Mr Peter McLoone, Trade Unions' nominee

• Mr Fergus Whelan, Trade Unions' nominee (new appointment)

The Minister thanked the outgoing members of the Board, Mr Peter Bunting and Mr Liam O'Rourke for their service and he paid special tribute to Mr Maurice Cashell, the former Chairman of the LRC, saying " I greatly appreciate the contribution that Maurice has made to the important work of the Commission and on behalf of my predecessors and the staff in the Department, I thank him most sincerely".

The new Chairperson, Ms Breege O’Donoghue, is a Director of Penneys/Primark retail stores in Ireland/UK and is responsible for human resources, advertising and security. She was first appointed to the Board of the Labour Relations Commission in 2003. Welcoming Ms O’Donoghue, as the new Chairperson, and Mr Iarla Duffy and Mr John Hennessy as new members of the Commission, Minister Calleary expressed his confidence that the new Board would continue to meet the challenge of promoting a good industrial relations environment.

Minister Calleary wished the board well at a time when the Labour Relations Commission is noticing a sizeable increase in demand for its services. The Minister expressed his confidence that the new Board of the Labour Relations Commission will successfully meet the renewed challenges of promoting a good industrial relations environment.