The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, yesterday appointed members to the new Pensions Board, which takes up office from today for the next five years.

Ms Grainne Clohessy becomes chairwoman, taking over from Mr Eamonn Heffernan, who becomes president of the Society of Actuaries in Ireland next year.

Ms Clohessy is a barrister specialising in commercial, insolvency and tax law.

Educated at University College Dublin Ms Clohessy worked as a tax consultant with Ernst and Young after qualifying as a barrister and later as an insolvency specialist with Price Waterhouse.

She has served as secretary of the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for Ireland and as a member of the pensions committee of the Bar Council. She was also vice-chairman of the working group on company law compliance and enforcement.

She is a co-author of the Irish Tax Guide.

Also appointed were: Mr Kevin Brabazon, director, Eason & Son Ltd; Mr Brian Buggy, partner, Matheson Ormsby Prentice Solicitors; Mr John Byrne, manager, Ernst & Young; Ms Rosheen Callender, national equality officer, SIPTU; Ms Marie Daly, solicitor, IBEC; Mr Tom Finlay, director, Bank of Ireland Asset Management; Mr Paul Kelly, senior partner, Watson Wyatt Partners; Mr Ciaran Long, director of corporate business, Irish Life; Ms Niamh Maguire, tax consultant; Mr Joe Mooney, principal officer, Department of Finance; Ms Mary O'Donnell, administrative officer, Trinity College Dublin; Ms Anne Vaughan, principal officer, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs; Mr Fergus Whelan, industrial officer, ICTU; and Mr Tom Wright, senior manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers.