About Us - Management

Joe O’Flaherty graduated from the Veterinary College of Ireland (1986) and worked in mixed practices in Ireland, England and Wales, before joining the Department of Agriculture as a Veterinary Inspector in 1992.

His career with the Department included 3 years at the Irish Embassy in Madrid, where he held the post of Agricultural Attaché, and 3 years in a policy analyst role. In addition to his veterinary qualification, Joe holds a Masters of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in European Studies, and a Masters of Economic Science (Public Policy Analysis).

He is a former recipient of the Whitaker Award from the Institute of Public Administration. Joe has held the post of CEO of Animal Health Ireland in a full-time capacity since September 2009.

Contact Joe by email here.

David Graham qualified from UCD as a Veterinary Surgeon in 1988, and after working as a house surgeon at the Veterinary School in Dublin he moved back to Northern Ireland where he spent several years in mixed large animal practice.

In 1992 David joined the Stormont laboratories of the Veterinary Sciences Division of the Science Service (now the Agrifood and Biosciences Institute) of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development where he has worked in several branches. During his time there he gained extensive experience in the diagnosis and control of a wide range of viral and bacterial diseases, including bovine viral diarrhoea (BVDV), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), Johne's disease and leptospirosis.

He received his PhD in 1998 on improved methods for diagnosing bovine respiratory disease from Queen’s University Belfast and in 2007 he established, and has subsequently led a cattle health scheme offering monitoring, eradication and accreditation programmes for BVD, IBR, Johne’s and leptospirosis.

David is the deputy CEO and Programme Manager for Biosecure Diseases with AHI. His role is to lead and manage AHI projects relevant to the non-regulated biosecure diseases which have been prioritised for action by AHI, with particular emphasis on BVD and IBR. David also acts as programme manager for the Northern Ireland BVD eradication programme that is being overseen by Animal Health and Welfare NI www.animalhealthni.com. 

Contact David by email here.

Finola graduated from University College Dublin in 1997 with a degree in veterinary medicine. She spent the following 11 years working in various mixed practices in Ireland, UK and New Zealand, and during this time developed a keen interest in the dairy industry. Working with large dairy herds in New Zealand provided an invaluable insight into some of the challenges associated with herd expansion and disease control. While working in practice she undertook a Masters in Science in Livestock Health and Production through the University of London, which she completed in 2006.

Finola joined the Teagasc research team in Moorepark in 2008, as the mastitis research officer. She co-ordinated and managed a pilot study evaluating a team-based approach to mastitis control, as well as collaborating on other research projects. She has a keen interest and experience in international models of mastitis control. While working for Teagasc she commenced working as Programme Manager for CellCheck, and joined the AHI staff in May 2013 to continue working in that role.

Contact Finola by email here.

Karol holds a degree in Business with Accounting from the University of Ulster and a Masters Degree in Strategic Management and Planning from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. He comes to AHI with experience of management consultancy, operations planning, and administration in a variety of fields, ranging from construction to human health. Karol will provide the organisation with the capacity to plan and deliver CellCheck – the new mastitis control programme as well as other programmes that have potential for national application, such as those for the control and eradication of BVD, Johne’s Disease, IBR and the infertility programme.

Contact Karol by email here.

Fionnuala Malone is rapporteur / liaison to the various Technical Working Groups that underpin each of the work programmes.

She has a strong background in ruminant nutrition and business management and a combination of Irish and overseas experience, having spent 11 years working in the Australian Dairy industry. In her career to date, she has worked extensively as a dairy nutritionist in both Ireland and Australia, spending 6 years as a Farm Service Manager with National Foods in Queensland and New South Wales.

Fionnuala served on the board of Subtropical Dairy (Queensland), Dairy NSW and the Australian Dairy Conference. Her role as director on the boards of SDP and Dairy NSW focused on developing RD & E (Research, Development and Extension) capability for the industry to ensure that dairy farmers have access to leading edge development programs and research information.

Fionnuala has had extensive involvement in Australia in the implementation of national animal health programs such as CountDown Down Under, InCalf and programmes for the control of Johne’s Disease.

Fionnuala graduated from UCD with a BAg in 1995 and completed M Ag Sci in Dairy Cow Nutrition in 1998. She also has an MBA from University Western Sydney from 2005. She is originally from a dairy farm in Co. Kilkenny and lives in Co. Waterford.

Contact Fionnuala by email here.

Animal Health Ireland is delighted to welcome on board Gráinne Dwyer.

Grainne comes to Animal Health Ireland with many years experience in the area of administration, communications and event management. She had been working with AHI in a consultative capacity for two year prior to joining the
organisation on a full-time basis in 2012.

Gráinne worked for several years in the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland in a number of roles including administrator of their professional indemnity insurance.  More recently, she was General Secretary of the Irish Grassland Society, a position she held for eight years.  In 2007 she left the IGA to set up her own company, Nore Conference Services, acting as a Consultant to several major agricultural events, including Beef Expo 2008, Beef Expo 2010 and the Nuffield International Conference.

In 1999, Gráinne was the first woman in Ireland to be awarded a Nuffield Scholarship.   Her study topic was an examination of the role of women in agriculture.  She travelled to Norway, France, New Zealand and Australia to research her subject.

Gráinne Dwyer comes to Animal Health Ireland with many years experience in the area of administration, communications and event management. She had been working with AHI in a consultative capacity for two year prior to joining the organisation on a full-time basis in 2012. 

Contact Grainne by email here.

Nuala has many years of experience working with various companies such as City of Dublin VEC and IBEC. She left Dublin in 1997 and moved to Carrick on Shannon where she managed her own restaurant business.

Contact Nuala Morgan by email here.