Dr Philip Byrne

Philip is working with the IPA for over 28 years and is presently head of the Local Government Unit within the IPA and the Senior Local Government Specialist in the Institute where he is the Director of the key accredited programmes for local government staff.

Philip is responsible for managing a wide range of local authority housing practitioners training programmes and works closely with the DoHPLG and the Housing Agency in the provision of these programmes as well as chairing Cork County Council’s Audit Committee. Philip also has considerable international experience, working for the IPA on a number of EU and Department of Foreign Affairs projects, as a Consultant and Trainer in the following countries: Gambia, Zambia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Latvia and Azerbaijan.

Cian Rohan 

Cian Rohan is an Assistant Specialist with the Local Government Unit of the IPA and joined the Institute from Cork City Council in January 2020. Cian participates in the delivery of local government training programmes with a particular focus on housing training programmes. Cian completed his MA in International Relations at UCC in 2017. Cian is responsible for managing the Forum and will be your point-of-contact for any queries.

Eddie Lewis

Eddie Lewis is a lecturer on the Housing Studies courses in the IPA and author of Social Housing Policy in Ireland: New Directions.  Formerly a Principal Officer in what is now the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government he has worked for many years on the development of housing policy. 

The Forum will also be supported by staff from the Housing Agency

Aidan Horan

Aidan is a Director in the consultancy, training and development directorate at the Institute of Public Administration, specialising in governance and financial management. The range of services provided within his area of responsibility incorporate consultancy, advice, facilitation, training and professional development programmes. He was formerly director of the professional accountancy and audit programmes at the Institute.

Aidan leads the Governance Specialist Team at the Institute, and co-manages the Governance Forum with Tom Ward. The spectrum of governance services delivered includes board evaluations; board and senior management briefings, workshops, seminars and facilitation services; reviews of risk management systems; audit guidance and reviews of internal financial and general control systems; and also governance compliance arrangements, policies and procedures. 

In addition to his lead role in governance services, Aidan has also been nominated as a non-executive member to a number of board and committee roles over recent years in the public and state sectors. He is also a member of the Policy and Standards Board of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, United Kingdom and former chairperson of the CIPFA Republic of Ireland Branch.