The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the appointment of Dr. Tom Ryan onto the EPA board of directors.

Dr. Ryan took up his new position as director of the Office of Environmental Enforcement on Friday, August 25 last.

Laura Burke, director general of the EPA, welcomed Dr. Ryan onto the board where he joins fellow directors: Gerard O’ Leary of the Office of Communications and Corporate Services; Dr. Matthew Crowe, Office of Evidence and Assessment; Dr. Micheal Lehane, Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring; and Dr. Eimear Cotter from the Office of Environmental Sustainability.

According to the agency, Dr. Ryan has a wide range of experience and specialist knowledge in radiological and environmental protection.

He most recently served as programme manager in the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability where he was responsible for national waste statistics, the national waste prevention programme as well as greenhouse gas inventories and projections.

Before this, Dr. Ryan spent over 25 years in radiological protection in roles ranging from research, licensing and enforcement, nuclear safety and emergency preparedness; as well as working for a period with the European Commission in Luxembourg.

Dr. Ryan holds a BSc and PhD in experimental physics from UCD and an MSc in management practice from TCD through the Irish Management Institute (IMI).

As a director, he will be based at the EPA’s headquarters in Johnstown Castle, Wexford, with a five-year term of office.

The appointment follows from a recommendation made by an independent selection committee convened in accordance with the EPA Act, 1992.

The independent selection committee conducts a public recruitment competition to select candidates suitable for recommendations to Government.