An Associate Event under Ireland’s Presidency of the European Council
Theatre Royal, Waterford City 6 – 7 October 2026
Speaker Biographies
In order of appearance on agenda.
| Speaker | Biography |
|---|---|
| Dr Conor Norton, Moderator | Dr Conor Norton is a planner, urban designer and educator and Principal of Loci, a specialist planning, urban design and regeneration practice established in 2003. He has more than 35 years’ experience in spatial planning, urban development, placemaking, regeneration, public policy and stakeholder engagement. He was Chair of the THRIVE External Evaluation Panel, a former President of the Irish Planning Institute, former Chair of RTPI Ireland and former Head of School of Architecture, Building and Environment at TU Dublin. For many years he has contributed as an expert to European programmes and projects with spatial and urban planning and regeneration objectives (e.g. URBACT, INTERREG/Brownfield Policy Improvement Task Force, COST). He has held a range of international and national advisory and evaluation roles relating to planning, urban regeneration, Town Centre First and sustainable development and has extensive experience chairing and moderating professional, policy and stakeholder events. |
| Mayor Liam Brazil of Waterford City and County | Liam was first elected to the Council in 2004 and is an effective and experienced public representative. He was elected as Mayor of Waterford City and County Council in June 2026. A Branch Manager for Glanbia in Durrow, Co. Waterford, Liam is married to Marie and they have three girls. Liam has been treasurer of Kilrossanty GAA club for the past 25 years. He is a keen activist in the promotion of strong mental health and suicide prevention and is committed to eliminating the stigma associated with mental health difficulties. He is a natural leader and to date he has taken huge steps to promote positive mental health locally including organising two very well attended conferences in 2012 and in January 2014. He also has a keen interest in addressing the challenges experienced by people who live in rural areas, particularly rural isolation. Other issues he is striving to improve upon in his local electoral area is securing adequate funding for the maintenance and upkeep of rural roads and he is committed to ensuring that people who wish to live in their local rural area can gain planning permission to build homes there . As a caring, compassionate and down-to-earth man Liam will continue to put the best interests of his local community first. |
| Cllr Bobby O’Connell, Cathaoirleach of the Southern Regional Assembly | Cllr Bobby O’Connell is a Fine Gael councillor on Kerry County Council, representing the Castleisland-Corca Dhuibhne Municipal District. A long-serving local representative, he was first elected to Kerry County Council in 1991 and has continued to represent the Castleisland area through successive local elections. Following the 2024 Local Elections, Cllr O’Connell was re-elected to Kerry County Council. He also serves on Kerry County Council’s Audit Committee and the Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht Strategic Policy Committee. |
| Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission | Raffaele Fitto, born on August 28, 1969, in Maglie, Italy, has had a prominent political career in both Italy and Europe. He began his political journey in the 1990s and was elected to the European Parliament in 1999, marking the start of his influence on the European stage. He served as President of the Apulia Region from 2000 to 2005 and was a member of the Italian Parliament from 2006 to 2014, and again from 2022 to 2024. During this time, he also served as Minister for Regional Affairs in the Berlusconi government from 2008 to 2011. Returning to the European Parliament in 2014, Fitto held key roles within the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, serving as Co-Chair from 2019 to 2022 and focusing on economic cohesion and regional development. Since 2022, he has served as Minister for European Affairs in Giorgia Meloni’s government, and on September 17, 2024, he was appointed Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, solidifying his role as a leading figure in both Italian and EU politics. |
| David Kelly, Director of the Southern Regional Assembly | David Kelly has been the Director of the Southern Regional Assembly since 2018, as one of three Regional Assemblies in Ireland it has responsibility to accelerate and support effective regional development through EU funding programmes and regional spatial and economic planning. He has over 25 years experience in managing EU funding. Before taking up the Director’s role, David was the Assistant Director at the Assembly as Head of the EU Programmes Division where he was responsible for managing EU-funded regional programmes. David plays an active role in INTERREG as one of Irelands Representatives on the Interreg Europe and Interreg North West Europe Programmes; he currently holds the Chair of the Interreg North West Europe Programme. He also has experience in rural development working with the LEADER programme for a number of years prior to his employment with the Southern Regional Assembly. David is an Agricultural Science graduate from UCD. |
| Morris Conway, Senior City Architect, Waterford City and County Council | A graduate of SETU and UCD, Schools of Architecture, he has previously worked in the roles of town engineer & town architect. Morris served as project architect for Waterford’s Viking Triangle for a decade, and he is now leading the Council’s Projects Team in the areas of urban and rural regeneration. He is currently collaborating on several town, village and neighbourhood regeneration and development strategies including historic building conservation and adaptive reuse, placemaking and public realm improvements. |
| Iulia-Mirela Serban, Head of Coordination of Programmes, DG REGIO, European Commission | Iulia Serban is Head of the Unit Coordination of Programmes in DG REGIO of the European Commission. She contributes to a consistent and effective implementation of cohesion policy across Member States, providing steering, guidance, support and animating communities of practitioners. Iulia has accompanied the New European Bauhaus from the early days of the initiative, and she drives its delivery through 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes, NEB Prizes and relevant flanking measures. |
| Stewart Logan, Senior Advisor, National Strategic Planning, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage | Stewart Logan is Senior Adviser in the Planning Division of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage where he leads work areas including national planning policy, urban investment programmes and geospatial data systems development. He has over 25 years of professional planning and management experience in local government, state agencies and the civil service in the UK and Ireland. |
| Stephen Wall, PhD Researcher, University College Dublin | Stephen is an architect and PhD candidate in University College Dublin, researching how the New European Bauhaus and Town Centre First policies affect Irish towns. Stephen’s academic interests include the social and policy implications of climate action in the built environment. With Foley Architects, Stephen worked on the ‘Start Spreading the Mews’ project which formed part of the IAF/ Housing Agency’s Housing Unlocked exhibition in 2022. Stephen’s published research includes an examination of the social, urban, and environmental co-benefits of coworking spaces in Irish towns. Stephen has previously worked as an educator and illustrator and sits on the working group of UCD’s Centre for Irish Towns, where he coordinates the Talking Towns webinar series. |
| Enda Hogan, Assistant Director, Southern Regional Assembly | Enda Hogan is Head of the EU Programmes Division in the Southern Regional Assembly. As well as being the Managing Authority for the ERDF Regional Programmes (2014-2020 and 2021-2027), the Assembly provides the National Contact Point for Interreg North West Europe and Interreg Europe, First Level Control and capacity building for ETC project partners in the Southern Region and is an active partner in a range of EU funded projects. Prior to joining Assembly in 2018, his career included roles with the enterprise support agency Skillnet Ireland, private consulting and managing a series of Industry Centres in TU Dublin. |
| Michael Quinn, Director for Economic Development, Tourism and Place Making, Waterford City and County Council | Michael Quinn is the Director for Economic Development, Tourism & Place Making in Waterford City & County Council. He has responsibility for a range of regeneration projects including the North Quays, an 18 acre brown field site; a City Centre regeneration programme involving the refurbishment and repurposing of 20 old buildings in the historic heart of Waterford City. He also has responsibility for the regeneration of rural towns, this involves the preparation of Town Centre First Plans in partnership with local communities, preparing funding applications and managing the planning and construction stages. Two regeneration projects are on site in Cappoquin and Admore, and Portlaw is awaiting funding. |
| Dr Robin Stubbs, Head of Department of Architecture and Built Environment, South East Technological University | Robin has been at SETU’s Department of Architecture and Built Environment since 2001. During this time, he has held multiple roles from Lecturing, Course Leadership, Programme Development to Researcher and PI. He co-initiated the SABRE Research Centre which aims to enhance the research capabilities across the Department on all fronts. He is also Chair on the Build Digital Project. Robin has served on numerous accreditation and assessment boards and acted as External Examiner on numerous programs across Ireland and the UK and is currently international board member of the PAC at Fanshawe University in Ontario, Canada. Robin was the successful recipient of a Harvard scholarship to complete an internship at the Renzo Piano Building Workshop in Paris, before working in industry in London and Dublin before returning to complete a Masters in Urban and Building Conservation from University College Dublin (UCD). He holds a PhD from University of Glasgow on Virtual Environments, Reinterpreting the Built Heritage. He is currently the Head of Department of Architecture & Built Environment and PI on the innovative EPA-funded research project “Cúpla Trá” combining digital twin technology with a landscape biography methodology for the environmental analysis of a coastal region in County Waterford. |
| Sean McKeown, Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council | Sean McKeown has served as Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council since August 2024. He has extensive local government experience, having previously served as Director of Planning, Economic and Environmental Services and as Interim Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council. He also held senior roles with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, the South East Action Plan for Jobs and in enterprise and economic development. As Chief Executive in Waterford, he is leading the Council’s ambition to be Ireland’s best place to live, while tackling vacancy and dereliction, advancing major infrastructure investment and strengthening the city’s role as a centre for education, research and innovation. The North Quays Public Infrastructure Project has progressed strongly, representing a major public investment in the region and creating a platform for long-term economic growth, regeneration and improved connectivity. Other significant infrastructure priorities include the redevelopment of Waterford Airport, N25 improvement works and the refurbishment of Rice Bridge. Investment through the URDF, RRDF, LEADER, ORIS and Town and Village Renewal Scheme continues to support the regeneration and vibrancy of Waterford city and county. Waterford also retained its position as Ireland’s Cleanest City in the latest IBAL Anti-Litter League, reinforcing the importance of the city’s presentation in attracting investment. Continued investment in transport and digital connectivity, alongside collaboration with IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and SETU, is strengthening Waterford’s position as a leading location for investment, innovation and high-value employment. Tourism remains central to the local economy, with the Council supporting more than 70 festivals annually. The Destination Experience Development Plan and Waterford Rural Tourism Network are further supporting growth in the county’s visitor economy. |
| Professor Veronica Campbell, President, South East Technological University | Prof. Veronica Campbell is a Pharmacology graduate of the University of Edinburgh and was awarded her PhD from the University of London. In 1998 she joined the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin, where she built a strong reputation in cell biology, pharmacology and tissue engineering research, alongside extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Throughout her career at Trinity College Dublin, Prof. Campbell held several senior leadership roles, including as Bursar & Director of Strategic Innovation. Prof Campbell served on the Board of the Atlantic Institute, based in Oxford University, and was the Chairperson of the Global Brain Health Institute of Trinity College and the University of California San Francisco, funded by Atlantic Philanthropies. She is a former President of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland (Biomedical Sciences Section). In July 2022, Prof. Campbell was appointed inaugural President of South East Technological University (SETU). Since taking up this role, she has spearheaded the University’s strategic ambitions to drive educational and economic development in the south east of Ireland, positioning SETU as a catalyst for innovation and excellence. |
| Eamon Ryan, Chair of the European Housing Advisory Board and Former Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and for Transport | Eamon Ryan is Chair of the European Commission Housing Advisory Board, a high level advocate for the Climate and Clean Air Coalition and a director of the Laudato Si Movement International. He is a policy fellow with Catalyse Europe, working on the development of more flexible and efficient electricity grids and is also a regular contributor to the Irish Times Opinion pages. He was the Minister for Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport in the Irish Government from June 2020-January 2025. In that time he was appointed EU climate finance negotiator in COP 27/28 and Ministerial pair with responsibility for Climate adaptation negotiations in COP 29. He was selected as co-chair of the International Energy Agency for its 50th anniversary meeting in 2024. |
| Ian Murphy, Public Sector Duty Manager, Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission | Ian Murphy is an Assistant Principal at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), where he works on the strategic development and implementation of the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty across the public sector. His role includes supporting public bodies to integrate equality and human rights considerations into their planning, policies and services. He also contributes to IHREC’s engagement with Ireland’s EU Funds Partnership Agreement Monitoring Committee, with a particular focus on horizontal principles and enabling conditions under the Common Provisions Regulation. Ian has been awarded MA in Int’l Relations from Dublin City University. |
| Mayor John Moran of Limerick City and County | John Moran took office as the first directly elected Mayor of Limerick City and County in June 2024. Son of a builder and raised on a family farm in Mungret, he studied at St. Paul’s National School and CBS Sexton Street before earning a Law Degree from University College Dublin and a Master’s from Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania Law Schools. John began his career as a lawyer on Wall Street before returning to Ireland to work in the aviation sector and later in banking, including leadership roles at Zurich Financial Services. In 2010, he helped steer the country’s recovery as a senior bank supervisor at the Central Bank and as Secretary General in the Department of Finance. John has been a board member on a number of organisations, including the European Investment Bank, and has chaired the Land Development Agency during its set up period. He has been involved on a number of renovation projects especially in Georgian Limerick. His vision for Limerick is to create an inclusive, sustainable city that enhances the quality of life for all its residents. |
| Máire Henry, Architect, Urban Strategist and Founding Director, dhb Architects | Máire Henry is an award-winning architect, academic leader and urban strategist with extensive international and civic expertise. A graduate of the School of Architecture at University College Dublin (UCD), she spent a decade working in the Paris office of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, collaborating on high-profile global projects. She transitioned to academia at Waterford Institute of Technology (now SETU) where she led the development of its new school of architecture and served as its inaugural Head of Department. Currently, Máire is a founding director of dhbArchitects, a design-driven practice based in Waterford that has won numerous national and international accolades for its work in urban regeneration, public realm design and conservation. Deeply committed to civic development, she served on the boards of the Viking triangle Trust, Waterford Civic Trust and Garter Lane Arts Centre and was Chair of the Waterford Architectural Festival. In 2023 she was appointed by Taoiseach Simon Harris to the Dublin City Taskforce, co-authoring the influential ‘Capital 10 big Moves’ report aimed at rejuvenating the capital’s city centre, enhancing public safety, and tackling dereliction. A respected voice within her profession, Máire is a Council Member of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and served as the Institute’s Vice President from 2023-2025 |
| Sophia Vlieger de Oliveira, Policy Officer for New European Bauhaus, Joint Research Centre, European Commission | Sophia Vlieger de Oliveira works as a Policy Officer on the New European Bauhaus initiative at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. She leverages her interdisciplinary background across business, strategic design, and the circular economy in developing the NEB Facility and exploring more broadly how design and systems thinking can be used to tackle social and environmental challenges. |
| Eileen Crowley, Assent Consulting and URBACT Urban Regeneration Expert | Eileen Crowley is an urban development consultant with over 20 years’ experience in regional and strategic planning, EU Cohesion Policy and integrated sustainable urban development. She is currently Key Expert for the Unlocking Compact Cities study for URBACT and the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, examining how planning, governance and funding systems can enable compact urban regeneration and the reuse of existing urban areas. Her career spans local and regional government, academia and research, and private consultancy, working extensively across Europe with cities, regional and national authorities and EU institutions. Eileen has particular expertise in urban regeneration, EU funding and financing, the New European Bauhaus, integrated planning and transnational exchange, with a strong focus on translating European policy into practical approaches for cities and towns. |
| Eleni Feleki, Assent Consulting and URBACT Urban Regeneration | Dr. Eleni Feleki is an urban sustainability and circular economy expert with over 25 years’ experience in strategic planning, EU-funded programmes, environmental management and integrated sustainable urban development. She is currently involved in the Unlocking Compact Cities study for URBACT and the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, while also working as an expert for URBACT, the European Urban Initiative, Green Assist and the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative. Her career spans private consultancy, academia and research, working extensively with cities, regional and national authorities and EU institutions across Europe. Eleni has particular expertise in circular economy, urban sustainability, integrated and participatory planning, the New European Bauhaus, nature-based solutions and sustainability monitoring, with a strong focus on translating European policy and scientific knowledge into practical strategies and actions for cities and regions. |
| Dr Matt Kennedy, Global Head of Client Transformation, IDA Ireland and Member of the NEB Facility Expert Group | Matt Kennedy (PhD) is the Global Head of Client Transformation in IDA Ireland where he leads transformation initiatives with international business, including a portfolio of R&D, digital, sustainability and talent development offerings. Matt is a Fellow (FIEMA), chartered environmentalist and energy engineer with over 25 years’ experience in delivering national and international climate and innovation initiatives across government, industry and academia. Matt was Lead Negotiator for the European Union at the UN Paris Agreement (COP21) negotiations and was previously Chair of the UNEP’s Climate Technology Centre. Matt has worked with the United Nations on clean energy and transport projects across Africa, Asia and Middle East and was previously Arup’s Sustainable Development Leader for Europe and led climate change services within infrastructure, buildings and cities. He holds a PhD in Engineering from Trinity College Dublin, and Masters degrees from University of Galway and University College Dublin. Matt is a member of the Government’s Climate Change Advisory Council and is an experienced independent non-executive Director. |
| Dr Karl Murphy, European Union Affairs Officer and National Contact Point for the European Urban Initiative and URBACT programmes | Karl Murphy is European Union Affairs Officer at the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly. Since beginning this role in September 2022, he has primarily worked as Ireland’s Urban Contact Point for the European Urban Initiative (EUI) and as National URBACT Point. Karl has a PhD in Political Science and International Relations, specializing in EU law-making. Prior to his time in EMRA, he worked in the third-level sector in Ireland and in Italy where he was a Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence. |
| Dr David Ryan, Vice-Principal for Sustainability, South East Technological University | Dr. David Ryan is Associate Vice President for Sustainability at South East Technological University (SETU), leading work across climate action, nature and biodiversity, education for sustainable development and sustainability impact. He holds a BSc in Biotechnology and a PhD in Environmental Microbiology from the University of Galway, and a Master’s in Leadership and Innovation in the Public Sector from Atlantic Technological University and the University of Ulster. He has held a number of academic leadership roles at SETU, including Head of Science and Health, Assistant Registrar, Director of Planning and Research, and Director of the Programme Management Office. A committed sustainability advocate, Dr. Ryan has worked with organisations across academia, industry and the humanitarian sector, bringing together environmental, societal and economic priorities to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. His applied research has spanned soil health and bioremediation, plant growth promotion and innovation in the sustainable bioeconomy. |
| Conor O’Neill, Senior Executive Engineer and Town Regeneration Officer, Waterford City and County Council | Conor O’Neill serves as the Town Regeneration Officer for Waterford City & County Council, where he leads the Rural Economic Development Team. In this role, he oversees rural regeneration and manages the delivery of the Town Centre First Programme. An engineering graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Mr. O’ Neill brings extensive experience in managing large-scale civic infrastructure and civil works to his position. His background spans various public sector functions including roles as District Engineer for Roads, Senior Executive Engineer in Water Services, and Senior Resident Engineer on major strategic capital projects, including the N25 Waterford Bypass and the Airport Road. |
| Philip Cheasty, National Contact Point (NCP) for Horizon Europe Custer 5 – Energy, Nuclear Fission, and Fusion Energy, (NCP) New European Bauhaus Research and Innovation and NCP for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and Enterprise Ireland | Based in Enterprise Ireland, Cork office, Philip is the National Contact Point (NCP) for Energy for several EU programme areas. Philip has an industry and research background in power electronics and extensive experience in European Framework Programmes with previous responsibilities for FP7 (NMPB) and Horizon2020 (Energy). |
| Councillor Gillian Coughlan, Head of Irish Delegation, Committee of the Regions | Cllr Gillian Coughlan is a the current Head of the Irish Delegation to the EU Committee of the Regions. A Cork County Councillor representing the Bandon Kinsale Municipal District, Gillian is a former Mayor of Cork County and former Mayor of the Town of Bandon. She is a Member of the Southern Regional Assembly. A secondary school teacher by profession with a degree in History and Political Science from Trinity College Dublin, she is the Chairperson of Cork Education and Training Board. With a keen interest in the Irish language, Gillian also chairs the Board of her local Gaelscoil Dhroichead na Banndan. At CoR level, Gillian has delivered Opinions on The Digital Education Act and on Enlargement. She is the current Chair of the CoR Working Group on Kosovo. At present, Gillian is working on an Opinion on the Local and Regional Dimension of the EU- UK Relationship. |