Councillor Terry Crossan elected as Chairperson of Donegal ETB

Cllr Terry Crossan was elected Chairperson of Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) and Cllr Declan Meehan was elected as Deputy Chairperson.

Crossan and Meehan will now sit for the next four years, replacing the outgoing Chairperson Cllr Donal Coyle and outgoing Deputy Chairperson Patsy McVicar.

“I’m honoured to be elected Chairperson today of Donegal ETB,” Cllr Terry Crossan said, “I’d like to congratulate Cllr Donal Coyle on the great work he did during his tenure. I hope I can represent the ETB to the best of my ability going forward.”

Newly elected Donegal ETB Chairperson Cllr Terry Crossan (Centre) and Deputy Chairperson Cllr Declan Meehan (right) with Chief Executive Anne McHugh (left)

The Board of Donegal ETB is made up of twelve elected representatives, two staff, two parents, two local industry and three sectoral interest representatives. The other elected representatives include Cllr Ciaran Brogan, Cllr Fionán Bradley, Cllr Albert Doherty, Cllr Donal Coyle, Cllr Brian Carr, Cllr Martin Farren, Cllr Martin Harley, Cllr Michael McBride, Cllr Pauric McGarvey and Cllr Tomás Seán Devine.

Staff representatives are Joanne Donaghy and Kyle Clarke, while parents’ representatives are Geoffrey Browne and Lorraine Doherty. The remaining five places have been filled by Lorraine Thompson (Donegal Youth Service) representing Youth Work Ireland, Patsy McVicar representing the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) / Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools (ACCS), Stephen McCahill representing the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV), Dr Joanne Gallagher representing the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) and Edel Ní Chorráin representing Foras na Gaeilge.

Speaking about the appointments, Donegal ETB Chief Executive Anne McHugh said, “I would like to congratulate Cllr Terry Crossan and Cllr Declan Meehan on their election as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of Donegal ETB. 

“It is wonderful to have two colleagues with such vast experience and knowledge of our organisation and I am very much looking forward to working with them so that we can deliver on the final year of our Strategy Statement. The contribution of all our Board members to the management of Donegal ETB’s work is central to our delivery of a quality, learner-centred education and training service, and their guidance and support is very much valued by the Executive.”

Donegal ETB is the largest education and training provider in the county. Along with its extensive Further Education and Training (FET) Service, fifteen of the twenty-seven post-primary schools in Co Donegal come under the patronage of Donegal ETB and it is a co-patron/trustee for a further eight Community and Comprehensive schools. The ETB also provides outdoor education and training at its centre at Gartan, along with music education and has legal responsibilities for youth work. In 2024, over 34,000 students availed of education and training through Donegal ETB.