TASC Board

Mike Jennings was General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) from 2007 to 2017. He is also a former member of the Executive Council of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. (Appointed 01.12.2018) (Reappointed 21.01.2022)

Proinsias De Rossa was elected Chair of TASC's Board in 2012. Formerly, MEP for Dublin (1989-1992, 1999-2012), Member of the Dáil (1982-2002) and Minister for Social Welfare (1994-1997) when he introduced the first ever National Anti-Poverty Strategy in Ireland. Proinsias is also a member of the IIEA and the European Movement. (Appointed 03.04.2013) (Reappointed 21.01.2022)

Joe Saunders is Manager at the Irish Local Development Network. He holds 35 years of experience in the community sector in roles as diverse as frontline worker, animator, advocate, trainer, researcher, consultant and manager. (Appointed 22.05.2018) (Reappointed 21.01.2022)

Michelle O'Sullivan is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Limerick Kemmy Business School. Her expertise is primarily on precarious work with particular attention on wage setting and public policy in low wage jobs. She has been an invited speaker at numerous seminars and conferences including the James Connolly Memorial Seminar, the Griffith College Employment Law Forum and at TASC. She is also co-editor of the Irish Journal of Management a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Industrial Relations. (Appointed 04.07.2018)

Paul Sweeney, former Chief Economist of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, was President of the Statistical and Social Enquiry Society of Ireland, a member of the National Competitiveness Council of Ireland, the National Statistics Board, the ESB, TUAC (at OECD) and other bodies. He has written books on the Irish economy and on public enterprise, including The Celtic Tiger; Ireland’s Economic Miracle Explained and Selling Out: Privatisation in Ireland, chapters in other books and many articles on economics. (Appointed 15.11.2018)

Ciaran O'Mara is a well regarded employment and equality lawyer being involved in many major cases to Supreme Court and CJEU level throughout his career. He has written extensively on the European aspects of employment and equality law.He has also served as Programme Manager to the Minister for Finance in the 1990s. Ciaran is also a member of the IIEA. (Appointed 01.04.2021)

Keletso Malepe is a co-founder and a national chapter coordinator for the South African Youth Biodiversity Network. She is a former environmental researcher at University College Dublin and is currently working as part of a sustainability team and involved in ESG sustainability reporting and governance. She holds a first-Class MSc degree in Environmental Resource Management from University College Dublin and an Honours Degree in Geology from University of the Witwatersrand. She has extensive experience in environmental research, Biodiversity policy advocacy, community-based conservation work, climate actions and GIS and Remote Sensing. (Appointed 31.05.2021)

Bernard Harbor is an experienced communications, PR and media relations manager, strategist and practitioner, with many years experience in industrial relations, political, and public service settings. Formerly head of communications with Fórsa and IMPACT trade unions, he was appointed as a Governor of the Irish Times Trust CLG in March 2023. In January 2024 he was appointed to the Irish Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council, established to provide independent advice to the Government on AI policy. He was Director of Communications and Media for President Michael D Higgins's 2018 re-election campaign, and was a special advisor to Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White between 2014 and 2016. He was awarded a life fellowship of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland in 2023. (Appointed 20.05.2022)

Mathias Urban, PhD, is the Desmond Chair of Early Childhood Education and Director of the Early Childhood Research Centre (ECRC) at Dublin City University, Ireland. With 20 years of experience, he focuses on education policy, diversity, and social justice. Mathias was also a Professor at the University of Roehampton, UK. He's a Professor of Pedagogy at the University of Stavanger, Norway, and affiliated with the Center for Educational Policy at George Mason University, USA. Mathias has led international research projects and authored G20/T20 policy briefs, serving on the European Commission's expert working group. He was President of the International Froebel Society from 2016 to 2019. (Appointed 29.09.2023)

Patricia Curtin-Kelly has over thirty years experience in the development and implementation of labour market policies and is committed to equality and inclusion.   Having worked at senior level, with the Youth Employment Agency and FAS/Solas. she played a pivotal role in the evolvement of employment services and programme development for unemployed people across Ireland.  She holds an MSc in Human Resources Development, from Sheffield Hallam University, and an MA in Art History, from University College Dublin.  Currently, she also works as a free-lance art historian and has had several books published.

Jennifer has worked in the financial services industry for fifteen years, currently working with a payment services provider. Prior to this, Jennifer worked in Retail Banking with the Irish Banking Culture Board and Ulster Bank. She also spent over ten years working in the IT sector. She has an MBS in Business Practice and an MA in Ethics and is a Fellow of the Compliance Institute.