Minister Simon Harris appoints new Medical Council

The 25 member Council has a majority of non-medical members, consisting of 13 non-medical members and 12 medical members. Six members of the Council were elected by registered medical practitioners, five were appointed by the Minister for Health via the Public Appointments Service, one was nominated by the Minister for Education and Skills and the remaining 13 appointed by a number of nominating bodies. Nine of the members served on the last Medical Council having been reappointed or re-elected. CEO of the Medical Council, Mr Bill Prasifka, said: “We welcome the new members to the Medical Council and welcome back those who have been reappointed. The Medical Council has a very important duel role in protecting patients and supporting doctors and the insights, experience and contributions of the new members will be invaluable to the Medical Council in fulfilling these roles. We very much look forward to working with them throughout their term.” The members of the Medical Council are equipped to discharge their significant duties under the statutory authority of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 in the skillsets and extensive experience they lend to the Council and an initial and ongoing familiarisation and learning and development programme. Council will hold their first meeting in early July, where the President and Vice President will be elected by secret ballot.

<ul> <li>Dr John Barragry (Medical Member / Nominated by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland)</li> <li>Ms Vicky Blomfield (Non-Medical Member / Nominated by HIQA)</li> <li>Dr Anthony Breslin (Medical Member / Elected (Public Health Medicine))</li> <li>Ms Teresa Bulfin (Non-Medical Member / Nominated by HSE)</li> <li>Dr Thomas Crotty (Medical Member / Elected (Radiology))</li> <li>Dr Suzanne Crowe (Medical Member / Elected (Anaesthesia))</li> <li>Dr Marcus De Brun (Medical Member / Elected (not falling in any other category))</li> <li>Dr Rita Doyle (Medical Member / Nominated by the Irish College of General Practitioners)</li> <li>Ms Mary Duff (Non-Medical Member / Ministerial Nominee)</li> <li>Professor Fidelma Dunne (Medical Member / Nominated by Medical Schools)</li> <li>Mr John Gleeson (Non-Medical Member / Ministerial Nominee)</li> <li>Mr Paul Harkin (Non-Medical Member / Ministerial Nominee)</li> <li>Professor John Hyland (Medical Member / Nominated by Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland)</li> <li>Professor Mary Leader (Medical Member / Nominated by Medical Schools)</li> <li>Ms Alison Lindsay (Non-Medical Member / Ministerial Nominee)</li> <li>Professor Marina Lynch (Non-Medical Member / Nominated by the Royal Irish Academy)</li> <li>Dr Erica Maguire (Medical Member / Elected (not being consultant, practicing medicine in hospital))</li> <li>Ms Catherine McKenna (Non-Medical Member / Nominated by CORU)</li> <li>Dr Maeve Moran (Non-Medical Member/ Nominated by Irish Psychiatric Training Committee)</li> <li>Dr Aoife Mullally (Medical Member / Elected (Obs & Gynae))</li> <li>Mr Joe O’Donovan (Non-Medical Member / Nominated by Private Hospital Association)</li> <li>Mr Tom O’Higgins (Non-Medical Member / Ministerial Nominee)</li> <li>Mr Jim O’Sullivan (Non-Medical Member / Nominated by HSE)</li> <li>Prof Mary O’Sullivan (Non-Medical Member / Minister of Education and Skills Nominee)</li> <li>Vacant (Nominated by Nursing and Midwifery Board Ireland)</li> </ul>

In addition to the Council itself, there are a number of Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Groups which report to the Council. Each Council term is for a period of up to five years meaning that this current Councils will be in place until May 2023.