Minister Naughton announces appointment of the new members to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment
- Published on: 31 March 2026
- Last updated on: 31 March 2026
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton TD today announced the appointment of the new members of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment for a four-year term until 28 February 2030.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is a statutory body established under Part VII of the Education Act 1998. Its role is to advise the Minister for Education and Youth on curriculum and assessment for early childhood education and in primary and post-primary schools. In doing so, it is required to consult with partners in education, engage in research, take account of international practice, and develop and review curricula, having regard to the promotion of high standards of quality, equity and inclusion, sound educational practice and relevance to national social, cultural and economic objectives.
Minister Naughton said:
“I would like to congratulate the new Council members on their appointment and thank them for giving their time and expertise to this important role. The work of the NCCA is pivotal in the development, planning and reviewing of curriculum and assessment provision in schools, ensuring that all children and young people have the best possible educational experience to prepare them for life ahead.
“I am confident that the new Council members will bring a rich and diverse range of perspectives to the table over the course of their tenure”.
The Minister also thanked the outgoing members of the Council for their commitment and contribution over the last four years.
The term of the current Chair, Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, will expire on 11 December 2026, thus he will continue in place. The new Board is therefore as follows:
|
Nominating Body – Chair/Vice/Deputy |
Name |
|
Public Appointments Service (PAS) process |
Seán Ó Foghlú (Chairperson) |
|
Joint Managerial Body |
Raymond McHugh (Vice Chairperson)* |
|
Irish National Teachers’ Organisation |
Anne Horan (Vice Chairperson) |
|
Nominating Body – Members |
Name |
|
Department of Education and Youth |
Esther Doyle |
|
Minister for Education and Youth (PAS) |
Pending |
|
Sheila Garrity* |
|
|
Joint Managerial Body |
Fionnghuala King |
|
Education and Training Boards Ireland |
David Leahy |
|
Catholic Primary Schools Management Association |
Anna Feely |
|
Church of Ireland Board of Education |
Kevin Twomey |
|
Geraldine Troy |
|
|
Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland |
Siobhan O'Donavan Deirdre MacDonald* |
|
Teachers Union of Ireland |
Olive O’Connell* David Duffy* |
|
Irish National Teachers Organisation |
Máirín Ní Chéileachair* Brendan Horan |
|
Irish Federation of University Teachers |
Sandra Austin* |
|
Irish Business and Employers Confederation |
Meadhbh Costello* |
|
Irish Congress of Trade Unions |
Seamus O’Neill |
|
Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools |
Paul Thornton |
|
National Parents Council |
Carmel O’Shea* Margaret Bolger* |
|
State Examinations Commission |
Pending |
|
Foras Na Gaeilge |
Muireann Ní Mhóráin* |
|
Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (President) |
Preston Ó Caoimh∞ |
*reappointment
∞serves a one-year term
Notes to editors
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)
The new members of the Council consist of eleven reappointments and eleven new appointments. Two further appointments are pending. The term of the current Chair continues until 11 December 2026, thus he remains in situ.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) was established as a non-statutory body in 1987, and as a statutory body in July 2001 under section 38 of the Education Act 1998. The role of the NCCA is to advise the Minister in matters relating to the curriculum for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools, and the assessment procedures employed in schools and examinations on subjects that are part of the curriculum.
Of the 26 members of the Council, three (including the Chairperson) are selected via a Public Appointments Service (PAS) process whilst the others are nominees of a range of stakeholder bodies representing the partners in education. The composition of the Council is set out in SI 622 of 2023.
The NCCA currently has 68 staff members including 33 education professionals who are on secondment from schools, alongside directly employed civil servants and fixed-term staff. The NCCA is led by the Chief Executive.
The NCCA’s funding from the Department of Education and Youth in 2026 is in the amount of €12,718,000.
The website of the NCCA is available at www.ncca.ie
Functions of the Council:
The Council is a representative structure. The membership is determined by the Minister for Education and Youth. The 26-member Council comprises nominees of the partners in education, industry and trade-union interests, parents’ organisations and one nominee each of the Minister for Education and Youth and the Minister for Children, Equality and Disability.
There are no fees payable to members of the Council.
Gender balance:
In accordance with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, the Minister has taken account of gender balance when making these appointments to the Board, aligned with the Government’s commitment to achieve a target of 40 per cent representation of each gender on all State Boards.
The new board complies with the gender balance requirement.
Appointment of nominated members to State Boards
The Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards specify that there are certain exemptions relating to the appointment of persons to State Boards, including:
“Where an agreement or arrangement is in place under which Ministers seek nominations for appointment to State Boards from key stakeholder organisations (such as trade unions, employer organisations, farming representatives or voluntary bodies)”.