Dr. Liam Lysaght
Centre Director
Record biodiversity
Submit your records or view record statistics on Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal
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
The Centre’s staff are responsible for the development and delivery of a work programme to meet the strategic objectives identified by the Management Board. Staff are also responsible for the day to day running of the Centre at Beechfield House. The full-time staff are supported by a team of developers, employed by Compass Informatics, who are responsible for development of the Centre’s data management and web mapping system.
Dr. Úna FitzPatrick
Senior Ecologist
Colette O’Flynn
Invasive Species Officer
Niamh Phelan
Biodiversity Engagement Officer
Dave Wall
Citizen Science Officer
Dr. Saorla Kavanagh
Project Manager
Dr. Michelle Judge
Data Manager
Oisín Duffy
Surveys and Records Officer
Ruth Wilson
Farmland Pollinator Officer
Dr. Michelle Larkin
National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme Officer
Sarah Kelly
Agri Business Officer
Martina O’Brien
Invasive Species Engagement Officer
Kate Chandler
Pollinator Plan Communities and Engagement Officer
Owen Beckett
Research Officer
Board of Directors
John McCarthy
Chairperson - Heritage Council Nominee
Ciara Carbery
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Nominee
Dr. Colm Lordan
Senior Port Officer with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority
Ted Massey
Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Nominee
Máire Ní Bhraonáin
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Nominee
Dr. Micheál Lehane
Department of the Environment, Climate Change, and Communications Nominee
Geraldine Tallon
Heritage Council Nominee
Professor Yvonne Buckley
Heritage Council Nominee
Colette Byrne
Heritage Council Nominee
Members of the National Biodiversity Data Centre
Mary Gallagher
Heritage Council Nominee
Niall Ó Donnchú
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Nominee
Brendan Wall
Department of the Environment, Climate Change, and Communications Nominee
Bill Callanan
Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Nominee
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.