Council

We held our January Council meeting yesterday in Clyde Rd.   It was extremely well attended and, although there are occasional Liaison meetings after Council including yesterday,  I think it was the largest Council participation I've seen to date.

Academy of Engineering: New Fellows Dinner

I was delighted to represent Engineers Ireland at the dinner this evening in the RDS Dublin to honour the election to the Academy of Engineering of five new highly distinguished members.

Regulation and Licensing of Professional Engineers

I attended a meeting this evening at Clyde Road hosted by John Power to discuss regulation and licensing of professional engineers.   This was a part of a series of meetings,  first started in October as I previously reported.

Science and Technology in Action; Spirit of Enterprise

I attended and spoke at the launch this afternoon of the fifth year of the Science and Technology in Action and Spirit of Enterprise initiatives,  and the opening meeting of the EU Framework Programme 7 supported ESTABLISH project,   at the EU Parliament Office in Dublin this afternoon,   along with Batt O'Keefe Minister for Education and Science,   and Anna Gethings,  the driving force behind the initiatives.

Engineers volunteer for Haiti

In response to an email from John Power,  our DG,  to our unemployed Members,  I was very pleased to learn this morning that six of our members have volunteered to travel to Haiti immediately to aid in the re-construction work.  Their CVs have been forwarded accordingly via Goal.

We also have had a number of expressions of interest,  and will submitted these to any of the NGOs as and when needed.

Finance Committee Meeting

Yesterday afternoon we had a scheduled meeting of the Finance Committee at Clyde Road,  chaired as usual by Brian Kavanagh.

BT Young Scientists Gala Dinner

I had the honour of representing Engineers Ireland at the celebration black-tie dinner this evening for the Young Scientist and Technology competition at the RDS.  I was privileged to sit at the table for the winner,  Richard O'Shea,  a wonderfully articulate and confident young man who not only spoke so well about his project but who also is determined that as many people as possible may benefit from his innovative biomass stove. I also met Richard's very proud parents,  together with his supportive and close brother.

Annual Ball, and first ever Lifetime Achievement Award.

We held our annual ball last night in the Burlington Hotel in Dublin,  with about 650 people attending.  A special occasion in our 175th year,  and I was particularly delighted that Dermot McCarthy Secretary General Taoiseach's Office,  and his wife Rosemary,  were able to join us,  along with past Presidents,  and the Presidents of our regions and societies.

BSTAI Awards

A Happy New Year - and sincere Happy New Decade - to you.


My first engagement of the New Year was to speak and present the Business Studies Achievement awards at the annual Business Studies Teachers' Association of Ireland earlier this afternoon in Dublin,  sponsored by the Irish Bankers Federation.