2007 Press Releases
Dermot Gleeson Appointed Chairman of UCC's Governing Body
University College Cork (UCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Dermot Gleeson as Chairman of the Governing Body.
Mr Gleeson, a former Attorney General of Ireland (1994-1997) and
lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law and Jurisprudence at
UCC (1973-1976), is a barrister and holds a primary Degree in Economics
and a Postgraduate Degree in Law. In 2003, he was appointed by
the European Commission to act as ombudsman, overseeing relations
between De Beers and the 100 largest diamond merchants in the world, a
position he continues to hold. In 2004, he was elected a member of the
Royal Irish Academy.
Welcoming the appointment, Dr Michael Murphy, President of UCC, said Mr
Gleeson would bring a vast array of proven skills to the Governing Body
as the University entered a challenging era, but one that also held out
the promise of many opportunities ahead: "Dermot Gleeson is one the
finest legal intellects in this or any other country. He has a wealth
of experience on the boards of major Irish companies, such as Allied
Irish Banks p.l.c., where he will serve as Non-Executive Chairman until
2011. He is a former Director of Independent News and Media PLC, a
member of the board of the Gate Theatre in Dublin, a former member of
the board of the National Museum of Ireland, and has recently retired
as Chairman of the Irish Council for Bioethics. These are but some of
the key appointments Mr Gleeson has held in a distinguished career. As
Chairman of the Governing Body, his skills will be of immeasurable
benefit to the University as we progress the agenda for change, which
is now underway. We are delighted that Dermot Gleeson has agreed to
take up the position as Chairman of UCC's Governing Body and we
very much look forward to working with him in the months and years
ahead," Dr Murphy said.
A native of Cork, where his father was a barrister and subsequently a
Circuit Court Judge, Mr Gleeson (58) is married with four children and
lives in Dublin. Prior to taking silk in 1979, he was based in Cork for
seven years as a Junior Counsel. He is currently Visiting Professor in
the UCD School of Law. Mr Gleeson has also served as chairman of the
body that advises the Government on salaries for Ministers, Judges and
Senior Civil Servants. His other interests include reading and sport.
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