Meet The Board

We are a voluntary board of passionate members of the public who have worked for over 20 years to bring this idea to life. The board has had many different iterations over the years, with many people helping us on our way. Currently the board is made up of the following voluntary members:

Paul Duffy, Chair

Paul commenced his appointment as Chair in January 2024. Paul is an experienced Chairman and Chief Executive Officer with extensive knowledge of the consumer and leisure industry.

He brings significant strategic and brand experience, having served previously as Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America. Paul is currently an iNED and AUDCom Chair, REMCom member and Development Committee member of Glanbia plc, an iNED of Hostelworld Group plc, member of the AUDCom, Nomination Committee and member and Chair of the REMCom.

Ali Hewson

Ali is an Irish activist and businesswoman. She has supported the National Children's Science Centre project for over 20 years.

Prof. Luke O'Neill

Luke is a professor of biochemistry at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin.

He is also a founder and investigator at the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI) and one of the world’s leading immunologists. He is also a Broadcaster and writer.

Melinda Byrns-O’Brien

Mindy is an environmental attorney and has been actively involved in environmental issues for over 30 years. She was the Chief Executive of the environmental charity, Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE) for over 12 years and in her retirement, she is the President of Zero Waste Europe and the Chair of Sustainable Water Network in Ireland.

Mindy worked on Capitol Hill in Washington DC for 6 years for several Members of Congress and Congressional Subcommittees.

Michael M. Collins

Michael M. Collins, Senior Counsel and Adjunct Full Professor, UCD, is a leading silk in commercial, competition and EU law at the Irish Bar and is a member of Lincoln’s Inn and Middle Temple. He practices from 4 Arran Square, Arran Quay, Dublin 7. Michael appears regularly before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Ireland and frequently appears before the Court of Justice of the EU.

He also has an extensive practice in commercial arbitration (domestic and international) both as counsel and as arbitrator.

Cathy Moore

Cathy is an experienced professional communicator, strategist and media trainer, advising on communication and media strategy as well as media presentation, specialising in the community, social enterprise and public sector.

She has over 25 years experience on national and international TV, radio and newspapers, with Government in Leinster House, and as a communications lecturer.

Prof. Brian Ó Gallachóir

Brian Ó Gallachóir is Director of MaREI and Associate Vice-President of Sustainability at University College Cork,

Brian established energy systems modelling capacity in Ireland over the past 20 years and he is a recognised international leader in this field and is a member of Ireland’s Advisory Group on Social and Behavioural Advisory Group on Climate Action.

Helen Ryan

Helen has over 25 years’ experience in the Medical device industry, including as CEO of Creganna Medical and R&D roles at Medtronic and Covidien. She serves as a director for Enterprise Ireland and a number of early stage medical device companies and charities.

She acts as an advisor to Atlantic Bridge Ventures University Bridge Fund and is currently the Chair of the Implementation Group on Police Reform, having recently served as a member of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

Dr. Jonathan Westrup

Jonathan is an Associate Professor at Warwick Business School and specialises in Business, organisational and regulatory strategy and corporate governance.

He has been a Director at the Irish Management Institute for many years and Non-Executive Director at NEAM (New England Asset Management).

Other Supporters

Dr. Áine Hyland

Educator and Advisor to the Board. Chair of the Exhibits Committee.

Áine is Emeritus Professor of Education and former Vice-President of University College Cork. She has chaired and been a member of many educational boards and committees during the past forty years. In recognition of her contribution to Irish education, she has been awarded honorary degrees by University College Dublin, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the National College of Ireland. She was elected as a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2018.

Ann Foley Finnan

An healthcare leader with success in engaging teams to achieve organizational growth and transformation through growing strategic services, improving quality and experience, and developing data-driven organizational accountability in service of patients and their care teams.

Ann has been a committee member of the Irish Network and Irish Heritage Club in Seattle WA and founded COPAC in 2019; a networking group for professional women in healthcare in the Puget Sound, Washington.

Dara Ó Briain

Dara Ó Briain is an Irish comedian and television presenter. He is noted for performing stand-up comedy shows all over the world and for hosting topical panel shows such as Mock the Week, The Panel, and The Apprentice: You're Fired!.

In 2012, he was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for Best Entertainment Performance for his work on Mock the Week. He has also been a newspaper columnist and written books for both adults and children.

Paschal Naylor

Paschal is an experienced director with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry.

He is an Advisor to Presidio Europe and the co-founder of Arkphire, a leading Irish IT consulting and managed-services company. Under Naylor’s leadership, Arkphire grew to become a €160m business and was acquired by the US tech firm Presidio in 2021.

Past board members and employees

We would like to extend our deep gratitude to the dedicated individuals who have committed their time and effort to the National Children's Science Centre since 1998. Here are some of the people who have contributed to our success:

Dr. Danny O Hare
Seamus Bannon
Brian Redmond
Peter Brabazon
Dr. Ian Hughes
Frank Doonan
Michael O’Doherty
Phillip Smyth

Governance

The NCSC is a registered charity with a Board of Trustees drawn from the public, private and academic sector backgrounds. Under its Agreement (2013) with Government, one seat on the Board is reserved for a representative of Government Departments. The Board also encourages the Government to discuss with it the establishment of the NSCS as an integral part of the State infrastructure once it has opened.

How the NCSC Aligns with Government Policy

According to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Further and Higher Education and Research, Innovation and Science's July 2023 report, ‘The Future of STEM in Irish Education’:

"The National Children’s Science Centre, in gestation for many years, should be opened as a matter of urgent national priority. It will send out a message that Ireland is very serious about science education for Primary and Post Primary students.”
“The National Children’s Science Centre should receive the full support of Government with a view to an early launch in Q4 2023.”