O’Gorman names new adoption body chair
Roderic O’Gorman, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, has appointed Orlaith Traynor to chair the board of the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI).
Ms Traynor, who has extensive experience in adoption and family law, previously served as deputy chairperson of the authority. She was appointed after a selection process managed by the Public Appointments Service.
Deputy chair
The minister (pictured) also appointed Sean O’Brien as deputy chair of the AAI board and Professor Sheila Green as an ordinary board member.
Mr O’Brien also has significant experience of family law, and governance experience as a board member of Youth Theatre Ireland.
Prof Greene is an Emeritus Fellow of Trinity College affiliated with the School of Psychology, with extensive experience in child psychology.
Reappointments
Paul Harrison, Dr Helen Buckley, Judge Patrick McMahon and Dr Margo Anglim were also reappointed as board members by the minister. The term of the current board will run from 1 November this year to 31 October 2025.
‘Great commitment’
Minister O’Gorman also praised the outgoing AAI chair Dr Geoffrey Shannon, who has been in the position since the authority was founded in 2010.
He stated that he was “truly grateful” to Dr Shannon who had “shown great commitment to the authority, and to ensuring that the best interests of children are paramount in all of its work”.
Dr Shannon served the maximum two five-year consecutive terms permitted under section 98(6) of the Adoption Act 2010, having been reappointed following a selection process managed by the Public Appointments Service in 2015.
The minister also paid tribute to Anne O’Flaherty, who has served on the board since 2013.