EPA chief made a member of Royal Irish Academy

FORMER HEAD of the Northern Ireland civil service Sir George Quigley and the director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr Mary Kelly were made members of the Royal Irish Academy yesterday.

The two were among 24 new members admitted to the academy, one of the most prestigious awards that can be given to any academic working in Ireland.

Membership of the academy is based on a peer review of published work and is usually given for outstanding achievement.

Sir George was also the chairman of Ulster Bank, is currently the chairman of Short Brothers plc and was the president of both the ESRI and its Northern Ireland equivalent, the Northern Ireland Economic Council (NIEC).

Dr Kelly has been the director general of the EPA since May 2002. The academy said that, at a time of growing environmental concern, Dr Kelly "is generating the knowledge and expertise needed to protect and manage Ireland's environment".

Dr Frank Gannon, the director general of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), who also became a member, was described as a "widely experienced scientist to whom the future of Irish science leadership has been widely entrusted".

The 24 new members are, in the sciences: Christopher Dainty, NUI Galway; Robert Elwood, QUB, Frank Gannon, director general, Science Foundation Ireland; Mary Kelly, director general, Environmental Protection Agency; James Lunney, TCD; Michael McGlinchey, UCD; Helene McNulty, UU; Kingston Mills, TCD; Mark O'Malley, UCD; Denis O'Sullivan, DIAS; Patrick Prendergast, TCD; and William Spillane, NUI Galway.

In humanities and social sciences: William Hayton, QUB; Jacqueline Hill, NUI Maynooth; Attracta Ingram, UCD; Christopher Lynn, professional archaeologist and independent scholar; Carmel McCarthy, UCD; James McGuire, managing editor, Dictionary of Irish Biography; Brian Nolan, UCD; William O'Brien, UCC; Sir George Quigley, former head of Northern Ireland civil service; Stephen Royle, QUB; Mary Katharine Simms, TCD; Robert Welch, UU.

The new members are among Ireland's foremost academics in the areas of history, politics, chemistry, physics, nutrition, archaeology, geography, English, animal behaviour and engineering.