George Hussey is a graduate of UCD (B.Comm, M.Econ.Sc) and the Open University (Diploma in Statistics). He has worked in both private and public sectors, including the Central Statistics Office and the Department of Housing Heritage and Local Government. He worked on national, EU and international climate change for 8 years and was part of Ireland’s delegation to the UNFCCC from 2009 to 2015. He worked on a broad range of topics such as EU and Kyoto Protocol Accounting, the ETS and Market Mechanisms, and the UNFCCC Secretariat Budget. His most recent role was as Senior Statistician in the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government prior to joining the Secretariat as Manager on secondment in July 2021.
Meabh Gallagher
Mitigation Team
Meabh Gallagher holds a BA Moderatorship in Geology and a PhD in Geochemistry from Trinity College Dublin. Prior to joining the Secretariat in February 2022, Meabh worked in the areas of environmental science research, climate and energy policy development, and energy regulation. Her work with the Climate Change Advisory Council Secretariat focuses on carbon budgeting and scenario modelling.
Phillip O'Brien
Mitigation Team
Phillip O’Brien has a research background in Atmospheric Physics and Climate. A graduate of DCU and NUI, Galway, his principle area of interest is mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to the impacts of Climate Change. In previous work, he was responsible for the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry.
Jodie Colgan
Mitigation Team
Prior to her role in the secretariat as a Scientific Officer, Jodie worked as a policy analyst and researcher in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Jodie has worked in research positions at UCC, in the Sustainable Livelihood’s Centre, and with WorldFish Bangladesh. Jodie holds a BSc from UCC in International Development and Food Policy, a MSc from NUIG in Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (MSc CCAFS) and a MSc (Res) from UCC in Food Business and Development. Jodie is a member of the Mitigation Team at the Secretariat, with a remit that covers agriculture and the topics of Just Transition, sustainable food systems, and international development.
Ben Macfarlane
Mitigation Team
Ben Macfarlane holds a BSc in Geology and an MSc in Environmental Science. Prior to joining the Secretariat, Ben worked in the Greenhouse Gas Inventory team of the Environmental Protection Agency contributing to national emissions reporting and informing climate policy development. Ben brings technical expertise in emissions accounting and climate mitigation to the development of Ireland’s carbon budgets.
Eleanor Mathews
Mitigation Team
Eleanor Mathews holds a BAgrSc from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and an MSc in Environmental Sustainability from the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science. Eleanor has previously worked in research management of both national and international research programmes including managing an EU H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Network in University College Dublin.Her work within the Climate Change Advisory Council’s Secretariatfocuses on the built environment and transport sectors as well as economic and climate policy.
Dylan O'Flynn
Mitigation Team
Dylan O'Flynn holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Dublin City University (DCU), where his doctoral research focused on pharmaceutical occurrence in Irish aquatic ecosystems. He also holds a BSc. (Hons) in Environmental Science and Technology International awarded in partnership with in University of Wollongong, University Colorado and Dublin City University. With previous experience as a project manager and environmental regulatory consultant, Dylan now serves within the Climate Change Advisory Council’s Secretariat. His work focuses on the built environment and transport sectors, as well as broader economic and climate policy development.
Stephen Flood
Resilience Team
Stephen Flood has over 12 years’ experience in climate change, environmental policy and social science research. He holds a BComm International with German from UCD, an MA in European Studies from UCD’s SPIRe School of Politics and International Relations, a Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics from Trinity College Dublin, and a PhD in Geography from Maynooth University’s Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units (ICARUS). He has worked in senior research positions at the Climate Change Research Institute, at Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand (2014-2016), at Landcare Research also in Wellington (2016 to 2018), at the SFI Ireland Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine Research and Innovation (MaREI) at University College Cork (2018-2021), and at ICARUS (2021-2022). Stephen currently leads the Resilience Team at the Secretariat.
Bryn Canniffe
Resilience Team
Prior to joining the Secretariat in November 2022, Bryn worked in a number of roles for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism in Namibia and was closely involved in the national level implementation of the UN Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification there. Bryn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Development Studies.
Marta Carrasco
Resilience Team
Marta Carrasco holds a BSc in Theoretical Physics and a MSc in Culture of Peace, Conflicts, Education, and Human Rights. Before joining the Secretariat in February 2025, she completed a placement at the DCU Centre for Climate and Society and worked as an environmental consultant and trainer for the private sector. As a Scientific Officer in the Resilience Team, her work is dedicated to climate resilience, just transition, and adaptation.
Claire Camilleri
Communications and Corporate Governance Team
Claire Camilleri joined the Secretariat in February 2016. Previously, Claire worked as the Team Leader in the CPD Training division within Engineers Ireland and has also worked as the International Affairs Officer for the Irish Medical Organisation. Claire has a dual degree in Journalism and Social Science (Public Policy) from the University of Queensland.
Ciara Hilliard
Communications and Corporate Governance Team
Ciara Hilliard joined the Secretariat in August 2021 as the Managing Administrator. Previously, Ciara has worked in various roles within the Environmental Protection Agency since 2005, most recently in the field of Emergency Preparedness. Ciara has a BA in Irish and Sociology from NUI Maynooth, a graduate diploma in Technical Communications from the University of Limerick and a diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from PCI College.
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