Former Carlow county manager appointed by minister to key role in Inland Fisheries Ireland

A former Carlow County Council manager has been appointed to help oversee the running of the Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). 

Tom Barry retired after more than forty years service in local government in 2015, having spent 7 years as county manager/chief executive in Carlow. 

Following the resignations of five members from the Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) since April 2022, including the recent resignation of the Chair, and the consequent inability of IFI to carry out its functions effectively, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, recently exercised his powers under Section 18 of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 and has removed the current members of IFI on a no-fault basis.

The Minister thanked outgoing board members for their service to IFI.

Minister Ryan said he intends to appoint new members of IFI, in accordance with the provisions of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010, as soon as possible. 

To ensure that IFI is in a position to perform its functions effectively as quickly as possible, Minister Ryan has also used his powers under Section 18(5) of the Act to appoint Mr Tom Barry and Mr Seamus Neely to perform the functions of IFI pending the appointment of a new, full Board through the statutory appointments process, with the support of the Public Appointments Service (PAS).

In addition to the core functions of IFI, set out under Section 7 of the Inland Fisheries Act, Minister Ryan has instructed Mr Barry and Mr Neely to prioritise the full and prompt consideration of a number of protected disclosures which are understood to have been received by IFI in recent months.

These could not be progressed by the Board of IFI as a result of the recent resignations. As appointees under Section 18, Mr Barry and Mr Neely will also be mandated to take any follow-up actions that may arise from the protected disclosures processes.

Minister Ryan has also instructed Mr Barry and Mr Neely to oversee the preparation of a governance review of IFI to be delivered within a period of three to six months.

 Minister Ryan wished Mr Barry and Mr Neely well in their important work.