The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today announced that the Minister, Michael McGimpsey, has re-appointed Ms Geraldine Donaghy, Mrs Ruth Laird, Professor Patricia McCoy and Mrs Una O’Kane for a further four-year period with effect from 1 September 2009.
Notes to editors:
1. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland, and encouraging improvements in the quality of those services.
2. The board of the RQIA consists of a non-executive Chair and 12 non-executive members.
3. Non-executive members of RQIA receive annual remuneration of £5,845.
4. The appointments were made with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are no specific qualifications for appointment.
5. The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointment for Northern Ireland.
6. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for the political activity of appointees (if any declared) to be published. All appointees have declared that they had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
7. Re-appointments
Ms Geraldine Donaghy lives in Newry. Mrs Donaghy has worked in senior management within the N.I Community and Voluntary Sector for over 30 years and during this period also served as a Board Member on a number of regional community & voluntary sector projects and agencies including; Community Relation Council, Community Development & Health Network, NICVA, CO3 & Community Development Networks Forum. She was appointed recently as a Trustee and Board Member of the Community Foundation for N.I. The Foundation is a grant making charitable organization dedicated to strengthening local communities and tackling disadvantage. Ms Donaghy was initially appointed to the RQIA board for a four year term from 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2009. She holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the past five years.
Mrs Ruth Laird BA (Hons) CIPD lives in Newtownards. Mrs Laird has over 20 years experience in the field of human resource management and organisational development, working in the public, private and voluntary sectors. She was formerly Director of the National Trust (NI), Head of Personnel, BBC (NI) and a Fair Employment Commissioner. Mrs Laird is a corporate member of the Institute of Personnel and Development. She is currently a member of the NI Judicial Appointments Commission; a Civil Service Commissioner; a non-executive director of the NI Prison Service and a board member of Business in the Community. She holds one other public appointment as a non-executive director of the NI Transport Holding Company and Chair of its Remuneration and Pensions Committee, she receives an annual remuneration of £14,456. Until March 2009, she had been appointed by the Department of Education to the Board of Governors of Strathearn School. Mrs Laird was initially appointed to the RQIA board for a four year term from 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2009. She has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
Prof Mary Patricia McCoy OBE lives in Holywood. Prof McCoy was employed as a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and latterly Professor of Physiotherapy at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown for around 25 years until her retirement in 2002. She retains her connections with the University as Emeritus Professor of Physiotherapy. Prof McCoy was formerly a member of the Board of Governors for Sullivan Upper Grammar School for some sixteen years until April 2009. Prof McCoy was initially appointed to the RQIA board for a four year term from 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2009. She holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
Mrs Una O’Kane OBE lives in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry. Until her retirement in 2004, she had been Headmistress of St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt. Prior to this, she was Senior Professional Officer for the Northern Ireland Council for Curriculum NICC (1986 - 2004), and Assistant Director of the Council for Curriculum Examinations and Assessment CCEA (2004 – 2005). Mrs O’Kane is a Board member of the new Northern Regional College (NRC), for which she receives travel expenses only, the Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards, for which she receives travel expenses only and the North Eastern Education and Library Board, for which she receives travel expenses only. Mrs O’Kane was initially appointed to the RQIA board for a four year term from 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2009. She has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
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