Following a decision of Government, the National Biodiversity Data Centre has been established as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Minister of State Malcolm Noonan T.D. made the announcement on 13th December coinciding with his attendance at the COP 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Minister Noonan also announced membership of the Board of Directors, with John McCarthy a former Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, appointed as Chairperson of the Board. The new company will be subject to oversight by the Heritage Council.
The main role of the National Biodiversity Data Centre, as set out in its constitution is, to acquire, collate, manage, validate and make available, data in respect of Ireland’s biodiversity in order to document wildlife resources and monitor and record changes over time, in so doing, support national initiatives to maintain and enhance biodiversity, including recording of species and habitat information relating to the terrestrial, freshwater, marine, rivers and wetland environments,
Staff
Dr. Úna FitzPatrick
Colette O’Flynn
Niamh Phelan
Dave Wall
Dr. Michelle Judge
Oisín Duffy
Ruth Wilson
Dr. Michelle Larkin
Sarah Kelly
Owen Beckett
Kate Chandler
Board of Directors
John McCarthy
Ciara Carbery
Dr. Colm Lordan
James Moran
Máire Ní Bhraonáin
Dr. Micheál Lehane
Geraldine Tallon
Professor Yvonne Buckley
Colette Byrne
Members of the National Biodiversity Data Centre
Mary Gallagher
Niall Ó Donnchú
Brendan Wall
Bill Callanan
Partners
The National Biodiversity Data Centre could not deliver its extensive work programme, nor could it achieve the progress it has done in terms of promoting biodiversity recording without the strong support it has received from its partners. Some of the key partners are listed below.