Appointment of new members to the Education Authority

The Department of Education has announced the appointment of four new members to the Education Authority (EA).

The appointments are as follows:

One person nominated by the NI Commission for Catholic Education to represent the interests of trustees of maintained schools:

Mrs Gillian McGrath is a recently retired Director of Education in the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).  Mrs McGrath brings to the board of the EA experience of corporate governance and as an Inspector of Schools, she inspected governance of schools in all sectors and phases. She has substantial experience of budgetary management and applying financial management principles in the organisation. She has experience of working with and exercising judgement and critical thinking about issues such as business planning, resource allocation, risk management and organisational performance and has wide experience, throughout her career in education, of communicating with a range of stakeholders and partners. Mrs McGrath has declared that she has not undertaken any political activity during the last five years and does not hold any other public appointments.

Three persons nominated by Sinn Féin:

Mr Paul Kavanagh is currently employed by the Martin Mc Guinness Peace Foundation and served as Special Adviser to the former deputy First Minister, co-ordinating with other Ministers and their Advisors.  He is a member of the Board of Governors of Lumen Christi College, Derry.  Mr Kavanagh brings to the board of the EA experience of communication and influencing skills, developing and maintaining co-operative working relationships within a corporate governance framework and analytical ability and decision making as a school Governor.  He has experience of budgetary management in an organisational environment.   Mr Kavanagh has declared that during the last five years he has undertaken political activity for Sinn Féin and canvassed on behalf of the party, or helped at elections.  He is a member of the Board of Governors of Lumen Christi College for which he receives no remuneration.

Ms Angela Mervyn is currently employed by the West Belfast Partnership Board in the role of Education Programmes Manager and is a Director in the Upper Andersonstown Community Forum.  She is a member of the Belfast City Council Community Planning working and Learning Board and Tackling Educational Inequalities Task Force, the Board of Governors of St John the Baptist Primary School, Belfast and St Joseph’s Primary School, Belfast and St Mary’s University College, Belfast.  Ms Mervyn brings to the board of the EA experience of corporate governance, strategic and business planning, development and implementation, risk management and analytical and decision making skills and team working. She has experience of financial management including capital budgeting, capital structure, and working capital management.  Ms Mervyn has declared that during the last five years she has undertaken political activity for Sinn Féin, canvassing on behalf of the party, or helped at elections and does not hold any other public appointments.   

Mr Frank Maskey recently retired as Principal of Corpus Christi College. Prior to that he was a teacher and Vice Principal in St. Patrick’s College Belfast from 1994 until 2011 and was a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering in Banbridge College of Further Education. He is a member of the Board of Directors in Newstart Education Centre, Belfast, a member of the Board of Governors of St. Genevieve’s High School, Belfast and Member of Executive Committee and Chairperson of the Strategic Steering Group (Education) of the West Belfast Partnership Board. Mr Maskey brings to the board of the EA experience of corporate governance, team leadership, strategic planning and financial management.  He has experience of team working, analytical thinking and decision making.  Mr Maskey has declared that although he is not a member of any political party, he has during the last five years undertaken political activity for Sinn Féin and has canvassed on behalf of the party during elections. He does not hold any other public appointments.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Education Authority (EA) came into operation on 1 April 2015, replacing the five former Education and Library Boards (ELBs) and their Staff Commission.
2. The constitution of the EA Board is set out in the Education Act (NI) 2014.  The Board comprises a Chairperson appointed by the Minister and 20 members who are nominated by a range of interests, i.e. there are 12 members appointed after consultation with bodies representing the trustees of maintained schools, transferors of controlled schools, Irish-Medium schools, integrated schools, voluntary grammar schools & controlled grammar schools, and 8 political members who are nominated by the relevant political parties. 
3. Mrs McGrath’s appointment commenced on 1 February 2021 and will end on 31 March 2024 (unless terminated before that time).  Mr Kavanagh, Ms Mervyn and Mr Maskey’s appointments also commenced on 1 February 2021 and will cease in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act (NI) 2014.  The annual remuneration for the position is £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence allowances.
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5. Media enquiries to the Department of Education Press Office at: Press.Office@education-ni.gov.uk
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