INSTITUTE NEWS


the evening, but some were held late afternoon – then Jim Curran’s involvement meant they could ask their immediate manager for permission to attend.”


Events outside Dublin Bill O’Reilly said that with a key goal being to secure interest in both the ROI branch, and in IHEEM membership throughout the Republic, the Branch team decided they should hold some of the events outside Dublin, mainly in the middle of Ireland. He said: “Our aim was always to hold at least 4-5 technical events annually, plus separate Branch meetings here at Connolly Hospital.” He added: “The Northern Irish Branch, which has been well-established for some time, got together with us more closely than ever about five years ago, and we started swapping ideas and discussing each Branch’s activities, and what could be done better. We decided to hold joint conferences; the Northern Ireland Branch had a conference every year – due both to its higher member numbers, and the popularity of the annual events – and they pulled us into that. Prior to this year’s conference at Croke Park, we had held two joint conferences previously – the first in Newcastle, County Down, in 2016, and the second at the Titanic Belfast visitor centre in 2019, both of which were sold out.


Postponement inevitable “We started planning this year’s event prior to COVID, but of course nobody knew how severe the pandemic would be, and we ended up having to postpone it for two years. Not only has IHEEM’s Head Office team played a very significant part in the event’s organisation, but the Croke Park Events Team has been incredibly supportive, with us having to defer at least twice. We were able to put together a fantastic line-up of speakers. Jim Curran’s successor at HSE Estates, a well-established healthcare architect, Paul De Freine, has recently been appointed, and actively supported our joint 2022 conference. Before taking up this role, he was the Deputy National Director of HSE


Members of the ROI and Northern Ireland Branches at the joint conference held at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa in Newcastle, County Down, in May 2016.


Estates, so he would have played an active role, alongside Jim Curran, in supporting IHEEM events. He was a guest speaker at the Belfast conference in 2019. My biggest hope for our event this May is that attendees gain some valuable knowledge from it. The educational aspect of what we at IHEEM do, must – in my view – be front and centre. We’ve had a torrid time through COVID, and I think that a large event where people go out and meet others in their profession face-to-face, and not only make new contacts, but also find out about the often similar challenges others face, has been much needed.”


Looking ahead Looking ahead, Bill O’Reilly said with the ROI Branch keen to work more closely with IHEEM Head Office, the Institute’s CEO, Pete Sellars, had suggested that the Branch be represented via formal representation on the Council, an offer he had taken up. He said: “As a result the Branch and I will have a formal input into the Institute’s business activity and annual Business Priorities. As a member of Council, I will have a seat at the top table, and will be more involved in steering and strategising. Equally, although none of us yet really know the full impact, with Brexit having happened, and the UK potentially drifting a little way from Europe, the stronger ties with the ROI Branch may prove useful in terms of IHEEM and the membership keeping abreast of healthcare engineering developments in


Europe. Ireland is of course still part of the European standards on engineering, while with the branch now having a seat on Council, the Institute will perhaps be able to strengthen its international links, and benefit from greater knowledge on what is happening overseas.” Bill O’Reilly continued: “It’s always our aim to increase the ROI Branch’s membership, and we will be continuing to focus on this – for instance highlighting the benefits of IHEEM membership at all our technical events. We’re always keen to get the numbers up, and come this autumn we will be very much looking to re-group and to hold at least two technical meetings between September and Christmas. “I’d particularly like to thank two of the


Branch Committee members, Secretary, Stephen Walsh, and Treasurer, James Reilly, together with Damien Clarke and Brendan Reddington, for all their work over the years, including on the organisation of this year’s joint ROI and NI Branch event in Dublin. My thanks also to Northern Ireland Council member and former Branch Chair, Nigel Keery, current Branch Chair, Steven Johnson, and Treasurer, Joanna Dougherty, for their help and close working with the ROI Branch, including, most recently, on this year’s conference. Both Branches are keen to repeat a ‘whole-of-Ireland’ conference every two years.” IHEEM CEO, Pete Sellars, said: “I am


Left to right: NI Branch Treasurer, Joanna Dougherty, and ROI Branch Committee members, Secretary, Stephen Walsh, and Treasurer, James Reilly.


delighted that the Republic of Ireland is now fully represented on the IHEEM Council, and am looking forward to working with Bill to develop the Branch further and to continue to support the Health Service Executive (HSE) estates policy work. The recent success of the Institute’s joint event in Dublin demonstrates that there is a keen desire amongst the healthcare engineering and efm community in these regions to network and connect with IHEEM to share knowledge and experience. I am confident that with Bill as Chair, the Branch will once again be active in supporting our members, and IHEEM Head Office will be working closely with Bill to meet the ambitions he has set out for the Branch.”


June 2022 Health Estate Journal 13


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