18 Organisational Development and People Leaders in Irish Local Government

Last updated: 10 August 2026.

Organisational development in local government is rarely one neat job title. It can sit inside people and culture, human resources, corporate services, transformation, workforce planning or the wider work of a chief executive. This list brings together 18 leaders whose current public roles make that work visible across Irish councils and the Local Government Management Agency.

Why these leaders matter.

The most useful people work is close to the real work of the organisation. It helps a council build capability, make change usable, keep good people and turn strategy into choices that staff can act on. The leaders below are interesting because their roles connect people, systems and service delivery.

1. Aidan Blighe.

Assistant Chief Executive, Human Resources, Corporate Services, IS and Transformation.

Dublin City Council.

Dublin City Council links this portfolio to employer-of-choice work, workforce capability and continuous improvement in its 2025 to 2029 corporate plan. That makes this a useful example of making capability part of the strategy.

2. Dymphna Farrell.

Executive Manager, Human Resources.

Dublin City Council.

The council’s current people systems include a staff support service that reports through the Human Resources function. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

3. Jamie Cudden.

Executive Manager, Corporate Services and Transformation.

Dublin City Council.

The council’s corporate plan connects transformation with citizen-centred digital delivery and a culture of continuous improvement. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

4. Mary Egan.

Director, People, Corporate and Digital Services.

Fingal County Council.

Fingal’s appointment profile describes experience across housing, operations, human resources, corporate services and finance. That makes this a useful example of making capability part of the strategy.

5. Annette Aspell.

Deputy Chief Executive, Housing and Regeneration and People.

Kildare County Council.

Her current portfolio places people alongside housing and regeneration, showing how workforce leadership can sit close to delivery priorities. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

6. Stephen Brady.

Director of Services, Corporate Affairs.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

The published remit includes corporate policy and governance, communications, internal audit, IT and Human Resources. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

7. Eileen Ruane.

Director of Services, Human Resources, Environment and City and County Libraries.

Galway County Council.

The role crosses internal people work with environmental monitoring and a shared public library service. That makes this a useful example of making capability part of the strategy.

8. Ivan Grimes.

Director of Services, Planning, Corporate and Organisational Development.

Waterford City and County Council.

The portfolio puts organisational development alongside planning and corporate work in the council’s senior management team. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

9. Helen Purcell.

A/Director of Services, Organisational Development.

Wicklow County Council.

Wicklow was recognised as an Engineers Ireland CPD Accredited Employer, connecting development work with a visible professional learning standard. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

10. Gavin O’Connor.

Senior Staff Officer, Organisational Development.

Wicklow County Council.

The same CPD account names the role as part of the council’s practical support for professional development. That makes this a useful example of making capability part of the strategy.

11. Joe McGuinness.

Director of Organisational Development.

Louth County Council.

His role appears in the council’s current Strategic Policy Committee structure, showing organisational development as a named leadership function. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

12. Mike Larkin.

Director of People and Organisation Development.

Cork City Council.

Cork City Council places People and Organisation Development directly in its 12-member senior management team. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

13. Ann Reynolds.

Director of Service, People and Culture, Corporate Services and Governance, ICT and Digital Services.

Clare County Council.

Clare’s directorate brings together people and culture, corporate governance and digital services as internal support for the wider organisation. That makes this a useful example of making capability part of the strategy.

14. Monica Meehan.

Senior Executive Officer, People and Culture.

Clare County Council.

Clare’s People and Culture work was recognised in the 2024 CIPD Ireland HR Awards for a learning and development initiative. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

15. Pat Daly.

Director General.

Limerick City and County Council.

Limerick’s 2025 annual report describes targeted learning and development, recruitment and strategic workforce planning in its HR and Business Improvement work. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

16. Paddy Mahon.

Chief Executive.

Longford County Council.

Longford was the only local authority shortlisted in the 2026 CIPD Ireland HR Awards, in the Learning and Development Initiative category. That makes this a useful example of making capability part of the strategy.

17. Geraldine Dunne.

Board Secretary and Manager, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs.

Local Government Management Agency.

LGMA Organisational Support helps local authorities with people advisory, leadership development, HR, health and safety and procurement. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

18. Emer O’Gorman.

Chief Executive.

Wicklow County Council.

Wicklow’s 2025 annual report records a dedicated Organisational Development, HR and Corporate portfolio in its senior management team. That makes this a useful example of keeping people work close to the choices that shape service delivery.

What these leaders show.

First, people leadership is becoming more connected to the way councils deliver services. The strongest roles do not treat culture as a side project. They connect it with workforce skills, digital change, governance, planning, customer experience or the day-to-day conditions that let staff do good work.

Second, the title matters less than the ownership. Human Resources, People and Culture, Organisational Development and Corporate Services can look different from one council to another. What matters is whether someone has enough reach to make the next choice clearer, make ownership visible and help the organisation learn.

Third, a good learning culture is practical. It shows up in how people are supported to grow, how managers are equipped, how change is explained and how leaders respond when the plan meets real life.

How to use this list.

Use it as a starting map, not as a finished directory. If you work in local government, choose one role that resembles yours and one that sits close to your current challenge. Ask what that person appears to own and what small change you could make in your own team this week.

You can also use the Working Genius glossary and the Working Genius implementation guide to turn a broad people conversation into a practical conversation about energy, ownership and the next stage of work.

Frequently asked questions.

How should I read the list?

The names are grouped to show the range of people and organisational development responsibilities across Irish local government. It is a practical starting map, not a complete directory.

What counts as an organisational development leader here?

The scope includes current leaders with a direct remit for organisational development, people, human resources, learning, corporate services with people responsibility, transformation or council-wide workforce capability. It also includes a small number of chief executives where the role has a clear people and capability connection.

Does this cover every kind of people leader?

No. The scope focuses on current leaders whose remit touches organisational development, people, human resources, learning, corporate services, transformation or council-wide workforce capability. Other roles may also be relevant in a particular council.

Will these responsibilities stay the same?

Council portfolios can change as priorities change. Treat this article as a useful snapshot of the responsibilities visible on 10 August 2026 and refresh the names before relying on it for a future decision.

Conclusion.

The practical lesson is simple. Organisational development becomes credible when it is close enough to the work to change decisions, clear enough for people to understand and small enough for teams to start. The leaders in this list show how that responsibility can sit in many parts of local government while still pointing towards the same goal: stronger organisations that serve their communities well.

Related reading.

The Consult Clarity home page explains Jonno White’s work with leaders and teams. The Working Genius glossary gives a plain-language explanation of the model, and the implementation guide focuses on what to do after the insight.

Work with Jonno.

If your leadership team needs clearer ownership, better conversations or a practical way to turn people insight into action, Jonno White can help you design the next step.

You can contact Jonno with a short outline of the challenge and what you want to change, or email jonno@consultclarity.org

About the author.

Jonno White helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. He is a leadership consultant, keynote speaker, author and certified Working Genius facilitator. His work is practical rather than motivational, giving leaders something they can use on Monday morning.