THE IRFU HAS confirmed it has reached a 40% gender balance at board level, meeting a requirement set by the Irish government and Sport Ireland.
The IRFU’s ‘Union Committee’ now consists of 29 people following the addition of three new co-opted delegates: Maeve Carton, Fiona Sweeney, and Joanne Geary.
As part of Sport Ireland’s Action Plan for Sport 2021-2023, all state-funded national governing bodies in Irish sport must have at least 40% female representation on their boards by the end of 2023. Failure to meet this target will result in a reduction to state funding for the individual sport in question for 2024.
It will be business as usual, however, for the IRFU, following the appointments of Carton, Sweeney and Geary.
Maeve Carton, former chair of the National Treasury Management Agency, has previously worked in a variety of roles with building-materials business CRH, including as Group Finance Director and Group Transformation Director.
Fiona Sweeney is a business and marketing consultant who has held roles in Kerry Group, Musgrave, Coca-Cola and Diageo.
Joanne Geary is Managing Director of MyHome.ie. She previously worked with Sherry FitzGerald and Savills.
IRFU President Greg Barrett said of the new additions: “The IRFU Committee is comprised of individuals who are passionate about driving the game forward in a positive manner, so I am thrilled that we are adding three highly talented and experienced female leaders in Maeve Carton, Fiona Sweeney, and Joanne Geary.”
IRFU CEO Kevin Potts added: “We undertook a robust recruitment process which was a great opportunity to look for some complementary skills to add to those existing on the committee and we are really pleased with the three candidates we have today brought on board.
“These additions give us a gender balance of 40%, a commitment we made to the Government and Sport Ireland, and I am pleased we could deliver on that in the agreed timeframe.
“We look forward now to a fruitful working relationship with all parties driving Irish rugby forward in a positive and inclusive manner.”
The IRFU’s 29-person committee consists of five delegates from each of the four provinces, the president, two vice presidents, chairperson, honorary treasurer, international affairs committee chairperson, and the three new co-opted delegates.
