Appointment of interim members to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board

The Public Safety Minister has today appointed six interim non-executive members to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) Board.

Michael McGimpsey has appointed Mr Jim Barbour, Mr Niall Birthistle, Miss Francesca Graham, Mr Alan Hanna, Mr Stephen Leach and Mrs Elizabeth Mahood as interim members of the NIFRS Board taking effect from 1 July 2010.

The Department is currently running a competition to appoint a Chair and 10 non-executive members to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.

Notes to editors:

1. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) Board was established from 1 July 2006 and is the body charged, under the Fire & Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, with providing fire and rescue services in Northern Ireland.

2. The NIFRS Board has 12 members comprising a non-executive Chair, the Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, and 10 non-executive members, all of whom are appointed with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Of the 10 non-executive members, four will be members of District Councils, one will be a Trade Union Representative Member who has the support and endorsement of a relevant Trade Union and the remaining five will be representatives of the general public.

3. In fulfilling its statutory duty to provide fire and rescue services, the Board is financed by, and is accountable to, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

4. Non-executive members of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board receive annual remuneration of £5,845, whilst the Chair receives £25,195 per annum.

5. The six interim members will join Mr Alex Coleman, who was appointed interim Chairman from 15 May 2010.

6. Press enquiries to DHSSPS press office on 028 9052 2841. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.

Appointments:

• Mr Jim Barbour BA (Hons) lives in Belfast. Mr Barbour joined the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade in July 1983. He is currently Crew Commander with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and Executive Council Member of the Northern Ireland Fire Brigades Union. From 2000 - 2002, Mr Barbour was Director (ICTU Nominee) for Castlereagh Local Strategy Partnership Implementing Body under the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. He is currently a panel member of the Fair Employment Tribunal for which he receives a daily rate of £171.00 as and when required. He has not engaged in any political activity in the past five years.
• Mr Niall Birthistle lives in Londonderry. Until 2003 he was Executive Director of Adria Ltd, a large clothing manufacturing company based in Strabane. Mr Birthistle is a member of the Northern Ireland Council of the Princes Trust and a former Lay Member of the Council of the University of Ulster. He was President of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce from 2002-2004. He is currently Chair of the Playhouse Community Theatre. Mr Birthistle is a former non-executive director of Altnagelvin HSS Trust and is currently a non-executive director of the Western HSC Trust for which he receives an allowance of £7,803 per annum. He has not engaged in any political activity in the past five years.
• Miss Francesca Graham OBE lives in Bangor. A former business partner in the private sector, she was Vice Chair of the South Eastern Education & Library Board and was Deputy Chair of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland. Miss Graham was also a member of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland. She was a former non-executive director of the Eastern HSS Board and was a Director and Trustee of the NI Police Fund. Miss Graham is currently a Lay Panel Member for Industrial Tribunals, for which she receives a daily rate of £174.00 and a non-executive director of the South Eastern HSC Trust for which she receives an annual allowance of £7,803. She has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Alan Hanna MSSc BA (Hons) lives in Belfast. He is a Director of his own firm providing consultancy and interim management services. Mr Hanna was previously a non-executive director of the former Green Park Healthcare Trust for some six years. He is currently a non-executive director of the Business Services Organisation for which he receives and annual allowance of £5,296. Mr Hanna has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Stephen Leach lives in North Down. He is a retired senior civil servant, and was Chair of the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Board for over eight years. Prior to that, he held a range of posts in the NIO and other Departments. He was awarded a CB in the 2007 Birthday Honours List. He is currently a non-executive director of the Health and Social Care Board for which he receives an annual allowance of £8,827; and a Parole Commissioner, for which he receives £343 per day worked. Mr Leach has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mrs Elizabeth Mahood BA lives in Armagh. She is Financial Director of a Belfast-based heating equipment company and General Manager of MacFarlane Environmental, a distribution company for air-conditioning and heating equipment. Mrs Mahood is a member of the Belfast Club of Business and Professional Women and is a School Governor at Grove Nursery School Armagh. She is currently a non-executive director of the Southern HSC Trust for which she receives an annual allowance of £7,803 per annum. Mrs Mahood is a former non-executive director of Armagh & Dungannon HSS Trust. She has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.