ELI Advisory Committees

NCI takes full responsibility for the financial, management, contractual, reporting and governance requirements of ELI. It has proactively embraced the highest standards of corporate governance including the Statement for Guiding Principles for Fundraising, Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, Child Safeguarding Statement, GDPR and The Governance Code. NCI does not charge any central overheads to ELI and has absorbed historical deficits between the funding available and the cost of delivering ELI programmes and services. The generous commitment of Fr. Leonard Moloney S.J., Chairperson of NCI’s Governing Body; Gina Quin, President of NCI; and other members of NCI’s Governing Body and Executive Board has been critical to the success of ELI in improving outcomes for children and young people in the area. Membership in NCI’s Governing Body is listed below.

NCI Governance and Reports

ELI is a discreet centre within NCI with its own dedicated staff and Advisory Committees. The leadership and expertise shown by Frank Ryan, Chairperson of the ELI Advisory Committee and ABC Steering Group; Dan O’Connor, Chairperson of the ELI Development Committee; Mary Doyle, Chairperson of National Steering Group and the other members of the ELI Advisory Committee, ABC Steering Group, Research and Development Committees have been invaluable in the development of ELI. We thank them for their continued advice, guidance and support. More information is available in ELI’s End of Year Report

ELI Annual Report 2024-2025

ELI’s Advisory Committee as of June 2026 is set out below:

  • Chairperson - Ms Mary Doyle, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Dr Emma Stokes, NCI President
  • Ms Sheila Nunan, NCI Governing Body
  • Mr Michael Hartwell, Chair of ELI's Development Committee
  • Ms Margaret Kernan, Interim Chair of ELI's National Steering Group
  • Mr Tony White, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Mr Tom O'Connor, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Mr Brian Hatton, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Mr Joe O’Reilly, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Ms Deirdre McCarthy, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Mr Michael O'Riordain, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Ms Sandra Foley, ELI Advisory Committee
  • Mr Eadaoin Kelly, ELI Advisory Committee

ABC Steering Group as of June 2026 is set out below:

  • Chairperson - Ms Sandra Foley
  • Ms Rebecca Moore, Director of Early Learning Initiative
  • Mr Donnchadh Ó Madagáin, NCI Finance Director
  • Ms Geraldine Duff, Senior Speech and Language Therapist
  • Mr Tom O’ Brien, Early Years Representative
  • Ms Emma Nugent, City Connect Coordinator
  • Ms Imelda Doyle
  • Ms Denise Hevey, Early Years Representative
  • Ms Denise McDonald, Community Representative
  • Ms Elaine Dunphy
  • Ms Jean Delaney

ELI National Steering Group as of June 2024 is set out below:

  • Chairperson - Mr Tony White, Former Member of NCI Governing Body & ELI Advisory Committee
  • Ms Rebecca Moore, Director of Early Learning Initiative
  • Ms Anne Fitzpatrick, ELI National Steering Group
  • Ms Margaret Kernan, Head of Programmes, ICDI Netherlands
  • Ms Lisa Fox, Director of Risk Assessment, Deloitte
  • Ms Christina McCann, Consultant, GreenFridaysForFuture
  • Dr Breda McTaggart, Dean of School of Business and Social Studies 

ELI Development Group as of June 2026 is set out below:

  • Chairperson – Mr Michael Hartwell, Partner, Deloitte
  • Mr Declan Quilligan, Managing Director Citco Fund Services (Ireland) Ltd.
  • Ms Susan Dargan, Independent
  • Ms Jean Maxwell, Head of Sustainable Business and Internal Communications, Arthur Cox
  • Ms Deirdre Giblin, Director of Development and External Engagement, NCI
  • Ms Rebecca Moore, Director of Early Learning Initiative
  • Ms Lána Cummins, Assistant Director, National Centre, Early Learning Initiative
  • Ms Brigina O’Riordan, Assistant Director, Dublin’s Inner-City Programmes, Early Learning Initiative