Minister of State Healy-Rae appoints two new Directors to Board of Coillte
- Foilsithe: 11 Meitheamh 2025
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 11 Meitheamh 2025
Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae TD, has announced the appointments of Michael Patten and Declan Meehan as Non-Executive Directors to the Board of Coillte.
Welcoming the new appointees, Minister Healy-Rae commented:
“I am pleased to appoint Michael Patten and Declan Meehan to the Board of Coillte. They bring a wealth of experience and skills to the board. Their appointments bring the board membership back to full strength, consisting of four women and five men, thus meeting the gender balance target of 40% for state boards.”
Both Mr Patten and Mr Meehan have been appointed for a five-year period effective from 6 June 2025. Mr Patten’s appointment was made following a competitive process undertaken by the Public Appointments Service (publicjobs) in accordance with the Guidelines for Appointments to State Boards. Mr Meehan was nominated for the position of Worker Representative Director on the Board of Coillte by SIPTU, and a recommendation for the appointment of Mr Meehan was made by the chairperson of the Board of Coillte.
Minister Healy-Rae concluded:
“As the state forestry company, Coillte is instrumental in the commercial production of Irish home-grown timber. Timber is a natural and renewable product and has a role in storing carbon and removing carbon from the atmosphere, thereby contributing directly to our ambitious climate action targets. In addition, our public forest estate provides natural habitats and offers opportunities for recreation. I wish the new appointees and the entire board well in its endeavours.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors
Michael Patten
Michael Patten was the Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer and Chief Environmental, Social and Governance and Corporate Affairs Officer with Glanbia plc from 2014-2021 and 2021-2023. He was Group Corporate Relations Director and the Global Public Affairs Director with Diageo plc from 2004-2014. Prior to that he was the Group Corporate Affairs Director with Glanbia from 1995-2003.
He is currently a non-executive director of the Institute of International & European Affairs (since 2024) and the Irish Management Institute (since 2021). He was appointed Board Member to An Garda Síochána in October 2024.
Declan Meehan
Declan Meehan commenced working with Coillte in April 1986 as a Forest worker and with the support of Coillte completed the Higher National Diploma in Forestry from the University of Lancashire during the period 2005-2008. Mr Meehan progressed to become an Operations Support in one of Coillte’s business area units and continues to work in that role where, amongst other duties, he provides an important supervisory role.