APPROVED HOUSING BODIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY - Key Persons
Eddie Lewis worked in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for most of his professional career. Over this time, he worked in several sections of the Department including as Principal Officer for a number of areas of housing policy. He is currently working as an Associate Lecturer with the Institute of Public Administration where he leads the Housing Studies Professional Diploma Course and Certificate Courses.
He has spoken and written articles on a range of housing topics and is author of ‘Competing in an Uncertain World. Institutional Change in the Irish State', which was published in 2010, and ‘Social Housing Policy in Ireland. New Directions' [2019].
Eileen Gleeson is the former Director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive where she was responsible for delivering a response to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness for the four Dublin Local Authorities under the aegis of Dublin City Council. A career public servant she worked with Dublin City Council for over 40 years until her retirement in January 2021. She was appointed to the board of the Housing Agency in Dec 2022.
Eileen held several key leadership roles in the Local Authority throughout her career and, spent over 30 years working in Housing Services with Dublin City Council. She was instrumental in ensuring the expansion of the Approved Housing Body Sector in the delivery of Social Housing in Dublin City.
Geraldine Hynes is a solicitor and accredited mediator with many years' experience in general practice, legal education, regulation and equality law. Since 2012, she has worked as a mediator and alternative dispute resolution consultant.
Geraldine is a volunteer mediator with Dublin community mediation services and is also a volunteer solicitor with Mercy Law Resource Centre, dealing with issues of housing and homelessness. She chairs tribunals established under the Mental Health Acts and is a board member of the Workplace Relations Commission since its establishment in 2015. Geraldine chaired tribunals established under the Mental Health Acts from 2001-2022 and was a board member of the Workplace Relations Commission from its establishment in 2015 until 2021. She is also currently a Board member of the Property Services Regulatory Authority.
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Non - Executive Director
Jillian Mahon is an experienced executive and non-executive director with wide ranging general and specialist management experience across the private, public and international finance sector. Since 2019 she has been an independent business and financial consultant working in an advisory capacity in both the public and private sector both domestically and in EU, particularly in areas of risk management and sustainability.
Previously Jillian held senior roles in the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) with the National Pension Reserve Fund/ Irish Strategic Investment Fund and from 2014 in the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland. Prior to these roles, Jillian had an extensive career in banking and held the role of Treasurer in AIB. She holds a BA, MBA, Prof Dips in Corporate Governance and Sustainable Finance. She is a member of the Climate Change Advisory Council since 2021.
John McCarthy is a former civil servant of some 35 years' experience. He was Secretary General of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, subsequently reconfigured as the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, for over 6 years until June 2020. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Secretary leading the Department's Local Government, Environment and Housing Divisions for various periods of time.
He previously served as Principal Officer in a number of the Department's areas of activity, including affordable housing and waste management. He joined the Department in 1991, having previously worked in a number of other Departments, including the Department of Social Protection and the Central Statistics Office.
He has a primary degree and a postgraduate diploma in management and a master's degree in Public Administration. He also previously served as co-Chair of the Project Ireland 2040 Delivery Board and as a member of the National Economic and Social Council and the Top-Level Appointments Committee. He currently holds non-executive roles as Chair and director of a number of organisations.
Job Titles:
- Head of Legal
- Member of the Senior Management Team
Leona McMahon was appointed as Head of Legal in June 2022. She is the legal advisor to AHBRA in its exercise of its functions, duties and powers under its governing legislation and provides legal advice across the organisation. Leona has more than twenty years' legal experience in both the private and public sectors, with a focus on the areas of property, housing and statutory enforcement. She qualified as a solicitor in 2003, having previously completed a Degree in Law and European Studies through the University of Limerick, and holds professional Certificates in Data Protection and Technology Law from the Law Society of Ireland.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator
Michael is the Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator, the regulator of Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and local authority housing services in Scotland.
His career has centered on the provision of social housing, public health and welfare services, with the last twenty years in the inspection and regulation service of the Scottish Housing Regulator and its predecessor organisations.
Michael was educated at the University of Glasgow.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Law at the Sutherland School of Law
Oonagh Breen is a Professor of Law at the Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin. A graduate of UCD and Yale Law School, her research focuses on comparative charity law regulation and governance. She has worked with the non-profit sector, charity regulators and policymakers in a number of jurisdictions (including Ireland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada).
Oonagh is a former President of the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) and a member of the international advisory council to the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL). She is the author of the Enlarging the Space for European Philanthropy Report (DAFNE & EFC, 2018), a member of the National Advisory Group on the development of a Government Policy on Philanthropy, and co-author of Breen and Smith, Law of Charities in Ireland (Bloomsbury, 2019)
Orla Coyne is a qualified solicitor for over 30 years. She has previously served as a Council/Committee member and Committee Chairperson in both the Law Society and the Dublin Solicitor's Bar Association (DSBA), including having held the position of past President of the DSBA.
She was appointed to the Board of the Private Residential Tenancies Board from 2005- 2013, and served as Chairperson of the PRTB from 2009-2013 and remained on as a Tribunal member from 2013 to 2016.
She was previously appointed to the Rent Tribunal (as member and Chairperson) and more recently to the Valuation Tribunal from 2015 to date. She is a graduate of UCD and holds a post graduate Diploma in Arbitration and European Law.
Job Titles:
- Head of Finance
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Head of Finance and Corporate Services
Paula Nyland was appointed Head of Finance & Corporate Services in November 2021. Paula has responsibility for overseeing the implementation and delivery of all aspects of AHBRAs corporate services functions including, finance, governance, IT, facilities and human resources. She is a fellow chartered accountant with over 25 years experience in a number of financial areas including internal audit; financial reporting; and planning. Paula's most recent role was in the nonprofit sector where for six years she was Head of Finance & Operations in Benefacts providing analysis, training and services to both the nonprofit sector and government bodies.
Seamus served as Chief Executive of Donegal County Council from July 2010 until July 2020 and has extensive experience in the delivery and oversight of the various regulatory frameworks for which the Local Government Sector is responsible. Seamus also has extensive board experience in the public and community sectors.
Seamus started his public service career with Donegal County Council before moving to various roles in Monaghan and Cavan Town and County Councils and holds an honours degree in Business Studies from Ulster University and an MBA from Dublin City University. Seamus has broad experience at a senior management level in operations and general management particularly in the Local Government Sector.
He is currently also a Board Member of The Land Development Agency DAC, the City of Derry Airport Company, and is Chair of the Forestry Appeals Committee. Seamus has previously served as a board member at Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Local Government Management Agency in addition to several Community CLGs. Seamus joined the Board of the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority in February 2021.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Senior Management Team
Susanna was appointed CEO following AHBRA's establishment on 1 st February 2021. Susanna is responsible for the day-to-day management of AHBRA. Susanna has over 25-years' experience in risk, financial management, strategy and governance. She spent five years with the Regulation Office in the Housing Agency, focusing on the provision of voluntary regulation including governance, financial viability and performance management. Susanna holds a BA in Economics, Sociology & Politics, a Masters in International Economics, Banking and Finance and an MBA in Finance.