The Board

An eight member Board, including the Chairperson, has been appointed by the North-South Ministerial Council to oversee and guide the operations of the Agency.

The Board is responsible for ensuring that the statutory functions and the strategic plans of the Agency are implemented in an effective and efficient manner. Accordingly, the Board will:

• Provide advice to Ministers and the North-South Ministerial Council on major issues of policy and strategy;
• Act as a major channel of communication with the Agency's social partners, to ensure the continued relevance of its strategies and policies;
• Consider and endorse the Agency's three-year Corporate Plan and the Annual Business Plan before submission to the Departments and the North-South Ministerial Council;
• Be responsible to the Ministers through the Departments for the achievement of the Agency's targets; o Endeavor to ensure that adequate resources are made available to fulfill the Board's duties and responsibilities.
  
  
  
  Deputy Chairman - Jim Devenney
  
  A former member of Donegal County Council, Mr Devenney was appointed Peace Commissioner several years ago. He is a well-known farmer and agri-businessman in his hometown of Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal and is the authoritive voice for Ulster-Scots in the area.
  
  
  
  Board Member - Bob Stoker
  
  Bob Stoker is a former Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Belfast and is currently a serving member of Belfast City Council. He has been a councillor since 1996 and sits on the council's Development committee and community and leisure services sub-committee while representing the Balmoral Ward.
  
  Mr Stoker has long been interested in the development of community arts, particularly in the South Belfast area where he lives.  A married man with three adult children and one granddaughter, he has long been interested in Ulster-Scots history and culture.
  
  
  
  Board Member - Alistair Simpson
  
  Alistair Simpson had been the Governor of the Apprentice Boys of Derry for nine years before giving up the position to devote more time to local community work.  While he still serves on the organisation’s governing body, he is currently chairman of the Wapping Community Association which serves the Fountain area of Londonderry; a group he has been working with for 30 years.  He has been closely involved in community negotiations on the successful annual staging of Apprentice Boys marches, and although retired, he now works part-time with the inter-denominational (cross community) group, Churches Training Company, to provide transport services for disabled and elderly people from all over the city.

A married man with a daughter and grandson, Mr Simpson is greatly interested in Ulster-Scots history, music and culture.



Board Member - Dr Linde Lunney

Dr Lunney, who is serving her second term, is originally from North Antrim and is currently working for the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin on the Dictionary of Irish Biography. She maintains a research interest in eighteenth century Ulster literature and language.



Board Member - Pat Wall

Mr Wall, who is serving his second term, was recently chairman of Irish Philosophy of Education Society and served as chairman of a working group on Language Education of the Association of Teacher Education in Europe. He has also published books of original poetry in Irish as well as prose and poetry in English.



Board Member - Eddie O’ Donnell

A former Principal/ Teacher in a Donegal Gaeltacht primary school, Mr O’ Donnell has been an innovative, progressive and accomplished educationalist.

He is adamant that minority language and culture issues are deserving of greater weighting with the EU Bereau of Lesser-Used Languages.

Editor of a community magazine, Dearcadh, for 18 years and an inspirational community development leader, whose efforts were rewarded with an overall Development win within All-Ireland Gaeltacht areas in 1978 and 1979.

He has been chairman, co-ordinator and motivator of a myriad of charitable, trade union, language and educational committees and is at present a member of Donegal Education Centre Management Committee.



Board Member - (position vacant)