Niamh Brennan, a Dublin professor, has been appointed chairperson of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, following the hasty departure of businessman Gerry McCaughey.

Mr McCaughey resigned from the post following revelations about his use of a tax loophole.

Ms Brennan has served on the Department of Agriculture and Food audit committee for seven years.

She chaired the Government-appointed Commission on Financial Management and Control Systems in the Health Services, and was vice-chairperson of the Government-appointed Review Group on Auditing.

-- Advertisement --

Ms Brennan is also a non-executive director of Ulster Bank and of the Health Services Executive and holds the Michael MacCormac Professorship of Management and is Academic Director of the Centre for Corporate Governance at UCD.

Previously, she held non-executive positions with Lifetime Assurance, Bank of Ireland's life assurance subsidiary; Coillte, the State forestry company; and Co-Operation Ireland, a voluntary body promoting north-south relations in Ireland.

Announcing Ms Brennan's appointment, Environment Minister John Gormley said that with her very wide experience, and expertise in the areas of financial reporting and corporate governance, she is "exceedingly well placed to lead the DDDA through this current period of economic uncertainty and to place it in a position where it can further develop the essential economic and social infrastructure needed to contribute significantly to a truly sustainable and prosperous future for our capital city".

(PR/JM)