Niall Curran
Niall Curran works in the Department of Transport in the Aviation Division dealing with the
State's shareholding in Aer Lingus and economic regulatory policy in relation
to the aviation sector. He has a degree in History from UCD. He has worked in a number of
different Government Departments and the telecoms regulator’s office. His work has mainly
involved national and EU policy in relation to telecommunications, energy and
transport. Prior to joining the Civil Service he worked for three years in the printing and
publishing industry. He is married with three young boys and his interests include rugby and
cycling.
Laurence D’Arcy
Laurence D’Arcy is a Director of Aim listed mobile technology company, Crimson Tide Plc.
He also provides mentoring services to a number of small and medium sized technology
companies in Ireland and the UK. He received his BBS Degree from the University of
Limerick. He is a member of the Georgian Society as well as the Royal Dublin Society
(RDS) and has a general interest in Philosophy and Politics. He spent many years in
Germany after graduation returning to Ireland in 2004. His other interests include Chess,
Running, travel, coaching gaelic football, theatre, opera, playing soccer and golf.
Paul Hickey
Paul Hickey works as a Parliamentary Assistant at the Houses of the Oireachtas, reporting to
the Co-Chairperson of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and Chairperson of the
Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Paul previously
worked at the Office of the Leader of Fine Gael and earlier in a range of media roles. Paul
holds an MPhil in Modern Irish History from Trinity College Dublin and a BA in History and
Political Science & Sociology from NUI Galway. He is from Castlecoote, Roscommon and
lives in Donnybrook. Paul plays astro turf soccer twice weekly, enjoys water sports and
working on the family farm.
William Hynes
William Hynes is the Founder and Director of Downey Hynes Partnership. He has previously
worked as Director of Strategic Planning at KSA, as an Airport Planning Manager and as a
Project Quantity Surveyor. He has a BSc in Surveying from Trinity College, a PhD in
Planning from UCD, an MSc in Spatial Information Management from DIT, and a number of
other post graduate diplomas in related disciplines. In addition to his current position at
Downey Hynes William is a visiting lecturer at UCD and DIT. His interests include cycling
and 5-a-side football.
Kenneth Jordan
Kenneth Jordan works in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, on secondment
from the Central Statistics Office. His main responsibilities in the Department include the
development of transport statistics, and analytical and policy work with regard to energy
efficiency and sustainability. Ken holds a Bachelor Degree in Materials Science and a PhD
in Experimental Physics, both from Trinity College Dublin. His interests include 5 a-side
football, Irish art and reading fiction and popular science.
Karen Kavanagh
Karen Kavanagh is the Manager for Retail Markets (Gas & Electricity) and has worked at the
Commission for Energy Regulation since 2007. She is responsible for the development and
implementation of retail policy, retail market monitoring, and smart metering. Karen is the
Irish representative on the CEER (Council of European Energy Regulators) Customers and
Retail Markets Working Group and was Vice Chair of the Retail Market Functioning Task
Force in 2011. She previously worked at the Commission for Communication Regulation in
Ireland. She holds a BAppSc (Physics/Chemistry) from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD in
Physics from DIT. Her interests include music, movies, travel and Pilates.
Michael Keatinge
Michael Keating works as Deputy CEO of an Bord Iascaigh Mhara (the Sea fisheries board)
and is based in Dun Laoghaire. Day-to-day he heads the Fisheries Development and Training
divisions. His career began in the late 70’s as a Deck Officer with Irish Shipping working on
their deep sea fleet. He holds a Diploma in Nautical Science from Plymouth Polytechnic, a
BA in Natural Science and a Diploma in Statistics, both from TCD. Academic/Work interests
include the Common Fisheries Policy, fisheries modelling, and public policy under pinning
the sea fisheries sector in Ireland. In his spare time Michael is a very keen SCUBA diver and
an avid sailor.
Margot Loughman
Margot Loughman is an Administrative Officer at the Department of Public Expenditure and
Reform. She has been working in the Central Capital Expenditure Policy Unit there for the
last 18 months. Prior to that Margot worked for the Garda Ombudsman Commission for 4
years. Margot received a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation and a
Masters in Early Modern English, both from UCD. In 2009 she received a Higher Diploma in
Public Management from the Institute of Public administration. Her interests include running
and hillwalking; she is a member of a hillwalking group and recently climbed Carrantouhil
in Kerry.
Clodagh McDonnell
Clodagh McDonnell works in the Community Division of the Department of the
Environment, Community and Local Government. She began her career in the civil service in
1983 in the then Department of Social Welfare. . In 2006 Clodagh moved to the Department
of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, to decentralise to the west of Ireland, where she
still lives. She has a Diploma in French and a National Certificate in Adult Guidance.
Clodagh has extensive experience in a number of key policy and operational areas
particularly in the social inclusion field. Her other interests include cycling, jogging and
music.
Maria Mileder
Maria Mileder has worked in PayPal Dublin in the position of Global Rules Analyst since
2009. The role involves cost benefit analysis in regards to online bank fraud and process and
policy improvement within the organisation to increase online banking security. She believes
that the MSc EPS can combine her interest in sociology and her work experience. She holds a
BA in Sociology from the Karl Franzens University in Graz, Austria. Her interests include
participating in sports (pilates, running, swimming) and also watching sports (rugby,
football). She also enjoys reading and going to gigs.
Jonathan Patchell
Jonathan Patchell works in the Business Regulation Unit of the Department of Jobs,
Enterprise and Innovation, which is tasked with driving reduction of administrative burdens
on business, and representing Ireland at international level (EU, OECD) on the whole Better
Regulation agenda. He joined the Department in 2007 and took a five-month break in 2011 to
complete a traineeship in the European Commission (DG Trade). Jonathan has a BA in
Politics and German (UCD) and an MA in European Culture (University College London).
His interests include current affairs, travel and culture, with frequent trips to the theatre,
cinema and classical concerts.
Trevor Pogue
After studying Economics and Psychology at Harvard, Trevor studied German language and
politics at the Freie Universität Berlin. He then received his mediation certification from the
South Carolina Bar Association before studying ethics and psychology in Oxford via the
University of the Cumberlands. Trevor worked with Global Insight in 2009 researching
confidence factors in Asian economies. He has also traded foreign exchange and
commodities. At Harvard, Trevor was involved with debating, played lacrosse and held a
student government position. In his free time he enjoys travelling.
Stephen Treacy
Stephen Tracey is a Statistician in the Central Statistics Office working in the area of Balance
of Payments (BoP) statistics. His job involves working with a team of statisticians to produce
quarterly External Statistics for Ireland. He has worked at the CSO for just over 10 years,
having joined straight from University. He has a B.Sc in Mathematical Science and an M.Sc
in Mathematics, both from NUI Galway. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Information
Technology from D.C.U. His interests include cycling/motorcycling, soccer, flying and
reading a wide variety of literature.