Board

Meet our NOAC Board Members

Meet our NOAC Board Members

Michael McCarthy

Michael McCarthy (Chair)

Michael was appointed Chair of the National Oversight and Audit Commission in September 2018 and reappointed in his role in September 2023. Michael is a Director of Cloud Infrastructure Ireland and Chair of Sophia Housing Association. Michael was an elected member of Cork County Council from 1999 to 2003, Seanad Éireann for 2002-2011 and Dáil Éireann for the Cork South-West constituency from 2011 to 2016. He was also a member of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee.

Mr Brian Cawley

Brian Cawley

Brian was formerly Director General of the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), and currently works as an independent consultant in public sector reform and in leadership and change management, working with a wide range of clients in Ireland, EC and internationally. He has extensive experience of working with central and local government in Ireland. Brian is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the University of Leicester, and holds an MSc in Training and Development and a Doctorate in Social Sciences.

Fiona Quinn

Fiona Quinn

Fiona is the Officer of the Minister and is an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage. Fiona has responsibility for the Local Government Division overseeing the development and implementation of the effectiveness and modernisation agenda for the local government sector.

margaret lane NOAC

Margaret Lane

Margaret is an executive coach and has extensive experience in finance and HR across the commercial, semi-state and public sectors. She has held the post of Strategic HR Director, Ervia (Parent company for Gas Networks Ireland and Irish Water). Her previous posts include HR Executive Roles, Board Gais Group, Cork City Council. Among her other positions, she is a member of the Audit Committee of the NSSO and has valuable experience as she currently chairs the Audit Committee in the Office of the Ombudsman.

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Miriam McDonald

Miriam McDonald is a professional, experienced and highly capable Marketing Director/Customer Excellence Specialist.  She is a Fellow of The Marketing Institute and has previously worked as Head of Customer Management, ESB, Chief Executive of The Marketing Institute and Communications lead on the Water Advisory Body.  She holds a BA degree and Graduateship of the Marketing Institute and is a Board member of Dyspraxia/DCD Ireland.

Declan Breathnach

Declan Breathnach

Declan has been a member of the Parliamentary Budgetary and Oversight Committee, Vice Chairperson of the Good Friday Agreement Implementation Committee and Vice chairperson of the British-Irish Parliamentary Association. He was a member of Louth County Council from 1991 to 2016 and served as Dáil Deputy for Louth from 2016 to 2020. A former Primary school teacher and Principal, Declan has over 40 years of public service.

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Noel Harrington

Noel is currently Office Manager and Postmaster at An Post, Castletownbere, Co Cork.  He was an elected member of Cork County Council from 1999 until 2011 and an elected member of Dáil Éireann serving from 2011 to 2016. Previous roles included; Member of the Oireachtas Committee on Public Oversight and Petitions, Chairperson of Cork County Council, Chairperson of The South West Regional Authority, Chairperson of Cork County Corporate Policy Group and Member of West and North Cork Local Enterprise Board.

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Ciarán Hayes

Ciarán is founder and Principal of Ciarán Hayes Consultancy Ltd. and a Board Member of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).  He has a BA Degree in Public Management, Higher Diploma in Computer Studies and completed a Senior Fellowship in Harvard University researching climate change in December 2022.  He worked in five Local Authorities throughout his career, has over 20-years senior management experience in the Local Government sector, and retired as Chief Executive of Sligo County Council in 2021.  As Chief Executive and on behalf of the sector, he led the Local Government response to Climate change and to the establishment of the Climate Action Regional Offices (CARO).

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Kathleen Holohan

Kathleen is the former Chief Executive of Carlow County Council (retired in October 2022) following a 45-year career in local government with over 20 years’ experience at senior management level including 8 years as Deputy Chief Executive in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. She holds a BA in Management and a MSc in Management Practice and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the South East Technological University and is the Chairperson of VISUAL and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre.

Former NOAC Board Members

Michael McCarthy

Michael McCarthy (Chair)

Michael is the Director of Cloud Infrastructure Ireland. He was appointed as Chair of the National Oversight and Audit Commission in September 2018. He was an elected TD for the Cork South-West constituency from 2011 to 2016. He is a former member of the Daíl Public Accounts Committee. He was elected to Seanad Éireann, for the period 2002-2011. Michael was an elected member of Cork County Council from 1999 to 2003.

Mr Brian Cawley

Brian Cawley

Brian was formerly Director General of the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), and currently works as an independent consultant in public sector reform and in leadership and change management, working with a wide range of clients in Ireland, EC and internationally. He has extensive experience of working with central and local government in Ireland. Brian is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the University of Leicester, and holds an MSc in Training and Development and a Doctorate in Social Sciences.

Fiona Quinn

Fiona Quinn

Fiona is the Officer of the Minister and is an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage. Fiona has responsibility for the Local Government Division overseeing the development and implementation of the effectiveness and modernisation agenda for the local government sector.

margaret lane NOAC

Margaret Lane

Margaret is an executive coach and has extensive experience in finance and HR across the commercial, semi-state and public sectors. She has held the post of Strategic HR Director, Ervia (Parent company for Gas Networks Ireland and Irish Water). Her previous posts include HR Executive Roles, Board Gais Group, Cork City Council. Among her other positions, she is a member of the Audit Committee of the NSSO and has valuable experience as she currently chairs the Audit Committee in the Office of the Ombudsman.

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Miriam Mc Donald

Miriam McDonald is a professional, experienced and highly capable Marketing Director/Customer Excellence Specialist.  She is a Fellow of The Marketing Institute and has previously worked as Head of Customer Management, ESB, Chief Executive of The Marketing Institute and Communications lead on the Water Advisory Body.  She holds a BA degree and Graduateship of the Marketing Institute and is a Board member of Dyspraxia/DCD Ireland.

Declan Breathnach

Declan Breathnach

Declan has been a member of the Parliamentary Budgetary and Oversight Committee, Vice Chairperson of the Good Friday Agreement Implementation Committee and Vice chairperson of the British-Irish Parliamentary Association. He was a member of Louth County Council from 1991 to 2016 and served as Dáil Deputy for Louth from 2016 to 2020. A former Primary school teacher and Principal, Declan has over 40 years of public service.

NH Profile Picture

Noel Harrington

Noel is currently Office Manager and Postmaster at An Post, Castletownbere, Co Cork.  He was an elected member of Cork County Council from 1999 until 2011 and an elected member of Dáil Éireann serving from 2011 to 2016. Previous roles included; Member of the Oireachtas Committee on Public Oversight and Petitions, Chairperson of Cork County Council, Chairperson of The South West Regional Authority, Chairperson of Cork County Corporate Policy Group and Member of West and North Cork Local Enterprise Board.

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Ciarán Hayes

Ciarán Hayes retired as Chief Executive of Sligo County Council on 1 January 2021 following a 42-year career across five Local Authorities including Galway City Council, Kilkenny County Council, Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire Corporation. He has a BA Degree in Public Management and a Higher Diploma in Computer Studies and is presently undertaking a Fellowship in Harvard University studying Climate Change. In addition to his Chief Executive role in Sligo, he led the Local Government response to Climate Change and to the establishment of the Climate Action Regional Offices (CARO). Ciarán is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University and has established 'Ciarán Hayes Consultancy' with a focus on Climate Action.

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Kathleen Holohan

Kathleen is the former Chief Executive of Carlow County Council (retired in October 2022) following a 45-year career in local government with over 20 years’ experience at senior management level including 8 years as Deputy Chief Executive in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. She holds a BA in Management and a MSc in Management Practice and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the South East Technological University and is the Chairperson of VISUAL and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre.

Former NOAC Board Members

NOAC Board Vacancies

NOAC vacancies are advertised as necessary on StateBoards.ie