Siobhan O’Reilly, Rural Development Directorate, Clare County Council; Anne Haugh, Director of Social Development, Clare County Council; and Siobhan McNulty, Senior Executive Officer, Clare County Council. Photograph: Eamon Ward
ANNE Haugh has taken early retirement from her role as a Director of Service with Clare County Council while Ennistymon woman Siobhán McNulty has been promoted to a top role within the local authority.
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling confirmed the news at Monday’s meeting with the long-serving Haugh finishing up with the Council during the month of August.
Her career in local government started in 1990 with Clare County Council before joining Limerick County Council. For nearly three years, she was a Director of Service with Kerry County Council until 2010, she then spent two years as Director of Operations with Limerick Regeneration Agencies, all the while living in Co Clare, before returning to Clare County Council in 2012.
Upon her return Anne was appointed Director of Physical Development, a role she held until August 2018 to head up the Social Development Directorate. A reshuffle announced by Dowling last December that came into effect in January saw her move to Rural Development ending a near six year-term over the department which holds responsibility for housing. She was a board member of glór and was responsible for the Killaloe MD having previously been at the helm in the Shannon MD and Kilrush Town Council.
Dowling told elected members, “Anne has taken retirement and it has only happened in recent weeks, we will be having a proper farewell for Anne in the coming weeks”. He outlined that the process to appoint her successor will go through the public appointments service, an internal interim appointment will be made while this is ongoing.
He also confirmed that Siobhán McNulty has been appointed as a full-time Director of Service. It is expected she will now oversee the Tourism Development Directorate. “We wish her well at the moment, we hope she will be joining our team as a full-time Director in the coming weeks or months from the outset,” the Chief Executive stated.
Siobhán spent nine months last year as Acting Director of Service leading the Shannon MD and Physical Development directorate. She has climbed the ranks of the local authority, including acting as senior executive officer in the housing section of the Council and as senior executive officer in the West Clare Municipal District with responsibility for the Ennistymon local area.
Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) said the work of Anne during her time in Kilrush resulted in securing €50,000 of funding, “she was a pleasure to work with”. Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) commented, “she made us all feel very welcome, she was very professional and it was great to work with her. I’m delighted to hear Siobhán is taking up a new position and I look forward to working with her”.
Haugh was “an outstanding public servant” with 35 years in local government, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) remarked. Cllr Mary Howard (FG) added, “I wish Anne the very best on her retirement, I found her a very easy person to work with. Congratulations to Siobhan in her new position, she will hit the ground running”.
