Our Board

Chairperson

Patricia Byron

Patricia Byron has worked as a senior executive in the Insurance and related financial services sector over many years. She was the first CEO of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB), an independent State body, established to reform a costly personal injury claims environment. Patricia is past Chairperson of the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland where she led a reform programme, focusing on business transformation and effectiveness. When appointed as Chairperson of the Association of Chief Executives of State Bodies, she became actively involved in a number of public sector reform programmes. She currently works as a consultant in the Financial Services and Health sectors. Patricia is a Non-Executive Director on the Board of the Central Bank of Ireland Commission and is the Chairperson of the Health Insurance Authority Board. Patricia is a graduate of UCD, a Chartered Insurer and a Past President of the Insurance Institute.

Employer Nominees

Padraig Somers

Non-Executive Director Padraig Somers is an experienced biopharma executive recently retired out of a country leadership role with responsibility for global manufacturing and supply operations serving EU, US, Japan and RoW markets on behalf of the Swiss based Helsinn Group. He is currently Chairman of the Steering Committee of the EI/IDA funded Pharmaceutical Technology Centre hosted by the University of Limerick, and a non-exec board member of Helsinn Birex Pharmaceuticals Ltd.  Prior to joining the board of the HSA in 2022, Padraig was Chairman of IBEC ‘s Occupational Health and Safety Policy Committee since 2016 and a member of its National Council. Previously he held positions as: an industry member of Enterprise Ireland RD&I Funding Committee; Chairman to the Swiss Irish Business Association; Chairman, Pharma Chemical Ireland (Sector Association part of IBEC); and held Irish affiliate lead roles with ISPE and IChemE professional associations. Padraig graduated in Chemical Engineering from UCD and also holds an MBA, from Dublin City University, and the Diploma in Company Direction, from the Institute of Directors.

Eamon Stapleton

Eamonn has worked for Clonmel Enterprises Ltd. since 1988, first employed as a site engineer having graduated with a degree in civil engineering from TUD (formerly DIT) in 1985. He has worked on a multitude of projects including rail, LUAS and many high-profile roads projects. He became a Director of Clonmel Enterprises Ltd. in 2013, taking over the role of Managing Director. Eamonn achieved his chartership status in 2013 and became a Fellow of Engineers Ireland in 2023. As Managing Director, Eamonn has taken a vital interest in health and safety and was awarded an MSc in Occupational Health and Safety in 2021 from UCD. Eamonn leads the HSEQIS department in Clonmel Enterprises Ltd. focusing on continuous improvements in the department. As a former President of the CECA and current VP of the CIF, he is an active member of the Health and Safety Committee working to improve the health and safety of the industry.

Elaine Bowers

Elaine is an experienced Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) professional with a strong track record across a range of sectors, including medical technology, semiconductors, technology, property management, academia, and professional training. She currently serves as Senior Commercial EHS Executive with Ibec Academy.

She is an alternate employer representative on the European Commission’s Advisory Committee on Safety and Health (ACSH). She lectures on the Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Work programmes (Higher Diploma and Masters) at University College Dublin (UCD).

Elaine’s professional interests include the integration of occupational safety and health within human resources functions, the development and implementation of EHS management systems, and corporate sustainability.

She holds an MSc in Applied Environmental Sciences, a BSc in Environmental Health, a Higher Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health, and a Diploma in Employment Law.

Employee Nominees

John Murphy

John has been a full time SIPTU Organiser since 2005. Within that time, he has held responsibilities within several Industries including Construction, Port & Docks and currently within Public Transport – Road & Rail Passenger Services. Prior to taking up a full-time position in SIPTU, John worked in both the Engineering and Aviation Industries. Throughout his working life, John has been heavily involved in issues affecting workers such as terms & conditions of employment, security and safety. He has been to the fore in SIPTU’s recent campaign which is seeking the establishment of a dedicated Transport Policing Service to tackle the issues of anti-social behaviour which has a serious impact on workers and passengers alike. Furthermore, John is on the European Transport Federation of Workers (ETF) Urban Public Transport Committee and attend Social Dialogue meetings with Employer Bodies and the European Commission from time to time. He is also a member of both the Internation Transport Federation of Workers (ITF) Dockers & Seafarers Section and on the ITF’s Fair Practices Committee which aims to tackle the exploitation of Seafarers internationally.

Katie Morgan

Katie is a Deputy General Secretary for Fórsa trade union and is responsible for operations, campaigns and communications. Katie is one of the elected Vice Presidents of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and is a member of the ICTU General Purposes Committee, ICTU Executive and ICTU Health and Safety Committee. Katie first became a union official in Australia at the age of 23 and is the youngest woman to be elected vice-president of ICTU. She has championed workers’ rights, fought for union recognition in anti-union employments, highlighted the issue of bogus self-employment in Ireland, supported measures to protect flight staff from unruly passengers and led ICTU's Better in a Trade Union campaign.

Paddy Kavanagh 

On behalf of Connect Executive Council, Paddy leads their team of full-time professional negotiators and our experienced support team from our Head Office and throughout our six regions. Their Executive Council is elected by their general members and is representative of their network of 25 Branches throughout the Country, a number of Industrial Consultative Committees, their Women’s Forum and their Youth Forum. Paddy led the merger with UCATT to form Connect Trade Union, the largest engineering union in Ireland. He secured Sectoral Employment Orders for construction, mechanical and electrical contracting sectors. He achieved legally binding pay, pension, and sick pay for these sectors. Paddy also helped establish international federation agreements with major unions in the USA, Canada, and Australia.

Ministerial Nominees

Fiona Kilcullen

Fiona Kilcullen is a Principal Officer in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Trade with responsibility for Workplace Health and Safety, and Chemical Regulation. She has over 30 year’s managerial experience in a variety of business environments within both the public and private sectors. Her previous responsibilities included the Access to Finance Unit, Workplace Relations Commission Corporate and Advisory Services, Financial Control Unit in DETE and was a Ministerial representative on the Board of Microfinance Ireland.

Prior to joining the Civil Service, she worked as an accountant in the private sector. Fiona is a Chartered Accountant and holds a B.Comm (Hons) from University College Galway.

Bríd De Buitléar

Bríd is an IT and Business Operations leader with a 30 year career in the Multinational Tech Sector. Bríd graduated with a BSc in Biotechnology from DCU before taking up employment with Accenture as a Management Information Consultant. Most recently Bríd spent 24 years at Microsoft Ireland where she rose to Director/Principal level and had a successful track record of delivering as a leader at European and Global levels.

Bríd is a PMP certified member of the Project Management Institute and has completed the Professional Diploma in Strategy Development and Innovation at the UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School. She is a member of the Institute of Directors and is currently enrolled in the Institute of Directors Chartered Director Programme. Brid also serves as a board member/trustee with Sage Agvocacy clg a not-for-profit organization whose mission is "To promote, protect and defend the rights and dignity of vulnerable adults, older people and healthcare patients".

Mary Coyne

Mary Coyne is a Qualified Accountant and Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA). She has 40+ years financial management experience across a wide spectrum of industries including broadcasting, tourism & food.

She was Director of Finance & Business  in TG4, a public service broadcaster, up until her retirement in 2019. Mary has 20 years experience in financial management and corporate governance in statutory bodies and public sector companies. She is a member of the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta, where she also serves on the Audit and Risk Committee. She is an external member of the Audit Committee of NUIG. She serves as an external member of the Audit and Risk Committee of GRETB and is a director  of Ealaín na Gaeltachta. Mary has a Diploma  in Advanced Management  Performance from the Smurfit Business School,  UCD  where she also completed the Director Development Programme “Governance for State Bodies” She studied Accountancy in South West London College and Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology.

Ciaran Roche 

Ciaran is the Risk Manager and also the Company Safety Manager for FBD Insurance. He is a chartered health and safety professional with over 20 year’s experience in the field of risk management. Currently he manages and develops FBD Insurances risk management policies, strategies, technical training, surveying program and safety campaigns. He has extensive experience in many working environments including agriculture, food, retail, waste, manufacturing and construction industries. He has been a member of the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee to the Health and Safety Authority in all its formats since 1999.

Qualifications which Ciaran holds include a Bachelor of Agricultural Science Degree from UCD, a Postgraduate Diploma in Fire Safety Practices (Buildings and other Structures) from Trinity College and a Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Welfare at Work from UCD.

Terry O'Niadh

Terry O'Niadh is an experienced board member, having served on the Boards and sub-committees of the  Local Government Management Services Board, the Local Government Computer Services Board, VHI Healthcare, The North Tipperary Leader Partnership Company and An Bord Pleanala. He worked in nine different Local Authorities and completed his local government career as the North Tipperary County Manager/ Chief Executive. He has a BA in Public Management, an MA in Public Affairs and Political Communication, A Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction and has attended the Leadership Programme in the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.