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 Associate Professor of Industrial Relations at the University of Limerick. She has also researched precarious work, trade unions, employment law, employee voice, and workplace bullying. She is co-author of Industrial Relations in Ireland (2020), and co-editor of Zero Hours and On-call Work in Anglo-Saxon Countries (2019) and Are Trade Unions Still Relevant? Union Recognition One Hundred Years On (2013). She is Chair of the Irish Association for Industrial Relations and is the Irish partner with the International Working Party on Labour Market Segmentation.

. (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 Senior Sustainability Consultant and researcher with over 10 years of experience in ESG strategy, responsible business programs, biodiversity policy advocacy, and community-led conservation. She provides guidance and implementation support to corporates across diverse sectors on ESG strategy and reporting, helping organisations embed responsible business practices into core operations. Keletso also co-founded the South African Youth Biodiversity Network (SAYBN), where she leads national biodiversity policy engagement, restoration projects, and youth capacity-building initiatives. She holds a First-Class MSc in Environmental Resource Management from University College Dublin and an Honours Degree in Geology from the University of the Witwatersrand.
(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)

Professor Mathias Urban, PhD, is Desmond Chair of Early Childhood Education, and Director of the Early Childhood Research Centre (ECRC) at Dublin City University. He works internationally on integrated early childhood education and care systems, policy and governance. His work is oriented towards diversity, equality and social justice for young children, families and communities in diverse socio-cultural contexts.

Mathias is a member of the European Commission Expert Working Group on Early Childhood Education and Care and a member of the Global Advocacy Group with the global Right to Education initiative.

He is the lead author of the Early Childhood Development, Education and Care policy briefs for the T20/G20 presidencies 2018 (Argentina), 2019 (Japan), 2020 (Saudi Arabia), 2021 (Italy), 2022 (indonesia), 2024 (Brazil), and 20205 (South Africa).

(Appointed 29.09.2023)

Patricia Curtin-Kelly has over thirty year’s experience in the development and implementation of labour market policies and is committed to equality and inclusion. Having worked at a senior executive level with the Youth Employment Agency and Solas/FAS, 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 freelance art historian and has had several books published in this area.

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.