Extension of appointment terms of Council for Catholic Maintained Schools and Diocesan Education Committee Members

The Department of Education has announced the extension of member appointments to the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and Diocesan Education Committees (DECs).

The term of extended appointments for existing members will be from 30 November 2019 until 29 November 2020 and are as follows:

CCMS Council

Ms Patricia Corrigan is a Senior Lecturer in Business and Enterprise at Stranmillis University College. Ms Corrigan continues to bring to the Council experience in financial management and strategic planning; working with stakeholders to deliver high standards and results; and interpersonal and communication skills. 

CCMS Council and Down & Connor DEC

Mr Hugh Cox is Chairman and a Volunteer Tutor with Comhaltas Craobh Boirche (Lower Mourne). He is a member of RNIB (Northern Ireland) Network Committee, a Board member of Shelter NI Ltd and of Moneydarragh Community Hub Ltd and an activities volunteer coordinator for the History Group, a group of blind and visually impaired people in the Belfast area. Mr Cox continues to bring to the Council/DEC experience of working at a senior level within a community organisation and as a board/committee member of a public sector organisation, he has gained extensive experience of promoting good governance including responsibility for staffing and financial and risk management issues. 

Mrs Maxine Murphy-Higgins is currently employed by the NASUWT Teachers’ Union. She is also club registrar for Tir Na Nog GAC. She continues to bring to the Council/DEC experience in business and corporate planning; and human resource management through her previous role as Employment Relations Manager with the Labour Relations Agency. 

CCMS Council and Dromore DEC

Mrs Donna Marie O’Connor is Head of Organisational Development at the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service. She is currently a school governor at St Mary’s PS, Aughlisnafin (Trustee Representative). Mrs O’Connor continues to bring to the Council/DEC business experience at a senior level including strategic decision making, creating an environment to achieve high standards of service and results and interpersonal and communication skills. 

Armagh DEC

Dr Malachy Ó Néill is Provost of the Magee Campus (Derry) of Ulster University and Senior Lecturer in Modern Irish. He spent five years as Head of the School of Irish Language and Literature prior to his original appointment and has been an elected member of the University Senate since 2012. He is an appointed member of the Irish Language and Culture Committee (Royal Irish Academy) and Fóram Forbartha Teanga (the Language Development Forum of Foras na Gaeilge). His research focuses on Irish language sources of the Ó Néill dynasty, pedagogical development in modern Irish, and Irish language theatre. Dr Ó Néill was a member of the Review Board of the Official Irish Language Standard (2016). Dr Ó Néill was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2019, the highest accolade in UK Higher Education. He continues to bring to the DEC experience of promoting good governance and of working collaboratively and constructively with stakeholders from various backgrounds. 

Mr Brian Quinn is currently a Senior Architect with the Education Authority. He is also Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Art and Architecture to the Irish Bishops Commission on the Liturgy and a member of the Finance and General purposes sub-committee of the Governing Board of the North West Regional College.  He continues to bring to the DEC experience of promoting good governance and financial management and of setting the strategic direction of an organisation.

Clogher & Kilmore DEC

Mr Brian Treacy is Principal of Holy Trinity Primary and Nursery School, Enniskillen.  He is also a School Governor of St Fanchea’s College, Enniskillen. He continues to bring to the DEC experience of promoting good governance; shaping the strategic direction of an organisation; engaging with stakeholders to improve standards and results; and interpersonal and communication skills. 

Mr Clive Anthony Rasdale is a Company Director of MacNeary Rasdale Co. Ltd. Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors. He is a Trustee of the Inniskillings Museum. He continues to bring to the Council/DEC experience of financial management, working at a senior level and promoting good governance in a business; and communication, influencing and negotiating skills.

Derry DEC

Mr John James Dallat is a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and is currently Director of Kilrea Enterprise Group Ltd. He continues to bring to the DEC extensive experience of promoting good governance and financial management through his roles as a former teacher, a local councillor and as an Assembly member, serving on various committees responsible for scrutinising spending by government departments.

Mr Dallat has declared that during the last five years he has undertaken political activity, spoken, held office as an MLA, served as Deputy Speaker of the NI Assembly and canvassed on behalf of SDLP at elections. All other members have declared that they have not undertaken any political activity during the last five years.

Dromore DEC

Mr Gerard Patrick Adams is a retired school principal. He continues to bring to the Dromore Diocesan Education Committee experience of promoting good governance, managing risk and financial, project and staff management. 

Mr Adams currently holds one other public appointment as a member of the Board of Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta for which he receives no remuneration, Mr Quinn is a member of the Board of Governors of the North West Regional College for which he receives £2,000 per annum and Mrs O’Connor currently holds one other public appointment as a school governor (DE appointed) at St Patrick’s Grammar school Downpatrick for which she receives no remuneration.  None of the other members currently hold any other public appointments.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) is a non-departmental public body established by the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989.  The Council is primarily a strategic organisation representing the needs of Catholic Maintained Schools, although it also has a significant advisory and operational responsibility in supporting Boards of Governors and schools directly, including its role as employing authority for all teachers in Catholic Maintained Schools.  A primary function of the Council is to provide the Catholic Maintained sector with a unified voice in all matters relation to education policy and procedures
2. The Council also has a Diocesan dimension in respect of its policies and their implementation and the 1989 Order established a Diocesan Education Committee in each of the Dioceses of Armagh, Clogher and Kilmore, Derry, Down and Connor and Dromore. Each of the Diocesan Education Committees is supported by a team of professional officers and exercises many of the Council’s operational and representational responsibilities.
3. There are 36 members in total on the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools with eight members appointed as departmental appointees by the Department of Education.  Four member extensions are being made on this occasion and there are four vacant positions under review.
4. There are 16 departmental appointees in total on the Diocesan Education Committees.  Nine member extensions are being made on this occasion and there are seven vacant positions under review.
5. Members on the CCMS Council/DECs are not remunerated but may claim travel and subsistence allowances.
6. Media enquiries to the Department of Education Press Office Tel: 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer on 02890378110 and your call will be returned.
7. Follow us on Twitter @Education_NI and our Facebook page, Department of Education Northern Ireland.

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