Appointment to the South/South West Hospital Group Board - 2 June 2021

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, has on the nomination of the Chair of the South/South West Hospital Group Board appointed Professor John O’Halloran to the South/South West Hospital Group Board. The appointment is from 2 June 2021 to 29 November 2021.

Professor John O’Halloran

Professor John O’Halloran is interim president of UCC. Professor O’Halloran has had a variety of leadership roles within UCC, including the role of Vice President for Teaching and Learning and Head of School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, amongst other roles. A founder of the Quercus Talented Students Programme and Co-Chair of the UCC Green Campus forum, Professor O’Halloran has been active in student engagement and climate action. He currently holds the Chair in Zoology at UCC and previously held academic posts at Colby College in the USA and at the University of Wales.

Professor O’Halloran first studied in UCC as an undergraduate student of Zoology, later receiving his Ph.D. from the college in 1987, he received DSc for his published works in 2009 by the National University of Ireland.

He is also a distinguished ornithologist and has carried out extensive research on swans and dippers. Outside of UCC, Prof O'Halloran is chair of Fota Wildlife Board, and supports Birdwatch Ireland as a volunteer in birdwatching and wildlife conservation.