Extension to the Terms of Appointment to the Board of the Middletown Centre for Autism

The Department of Education (DE) has announced the extension of the appointment terms for the DE appointed Vice Chairperson and two Directors of the Middletown Centre for Autism in Armagh.

The Department of Education in Northern Ireland appoints four Directors to the Board of the Middletown Centre for Autism (MCA) Ltd, as does the Department of Education and Skills in the Republic of Ireland. The appointment of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson rotates between the two jurisdictions.

A public appointment competition has been undertaken to reconstitute the Board of Directors, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, with the expectation that all appointments would be confirmed in late summer 2019.  A delay in the appointment processes will require a further extension for current members to facilitate the reconstitution in the near future.

The term of extended appointments for existing members will be from 1 October 2019 until such time as new appointments can be made.

Professor Mary Hanratty was originally appointed as Vice Chairperson of the Board from 21 October 2013 to 15 March 2016 and re-appointed as Chairperson on 16 March 2016.  Dorothy Angus (Director) and Irene Murphy (Director) were originally appointed on 16 March 2016. 

None of the DE appointees holds any other Ministerial public appointment.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Middletown Centre is a joint north south initiative with funding provided by the Department of Education (DE) and the Department of Education and Skills (DES) to support the promotion of excellence in the development and harmonisation of education and allied services to children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders.
2. DE currently provides the Chairperson and three Directors to the MCA Board.  Directors are remunerated at a rate of £160 per day with an estimated workload of 1-2 days per month. The Vice Chairperson’s remuneration rate is £200 per day with an estimated workload of 2-3 days per month.
3. Media enquiries to the Department of Education Press Office Tel: 028 9127 9772. Out of office hours contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.
4. Follow us on Twitter @Education_NI.

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