Council makes changes to organisational structure to meet challenges
Fingal County Council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly today announced changes to the organisational structure of the Council to meet the different challenges presented by the rapid growth in Fingal’s population.
The changes include the appointment of a new Director of Service and the creation of standalone Housing, Planning, and Infrastructure directorates.
The purpose of these changes is to:
- Continue Fingal’s strong delivery record while accelerating housing and land activation.
- Provide dedicated resources for major transport and infrastructure projects.
- Improve coordination across directorates for efficient project execution.
Senior Planner Róisín Burke has been appointed as Director of Planning and Development and will head up a directorate that will build on Fingal’s strong planning foundations to lead on planning policy, development management, and the identification of land activation priorities and infrastructure obstacles. Its role is central to ensuring that planning processes remain robust while accelerating delivery and aligning with housing and economic priorities
A graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology and Queen’s University, Ms Burke previously worked for Galway County Council and Dublin City Council before joining the Fingal’s planning team in 2008. As a Senior Planner she led the team involved in producing the Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029.
The current Director of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure, Matthew McAleese, will lead a dedicated Infrastructure and Transport Directorate which will build on Fingal’s strong track record in infrastructure delivery and accelerate the pace of progress. It will expand capacity to deliver critical infrastructure that unlocks housing and economic lands, while facilitating major public transport projects such as Metrolink and BusConnects. This Directorate will ensure that infrastructure delivery keeps pace with housing growth and supports sustainable communities.
Fingal is also establishing a standalone Housing Directorate, led by Paul Carroll, who is Director of Housing and Community Development at present. This Directorate will continue Fingal’s strong housing delivery record while managing the Council’s Housing Delivery Strategy and Plan, overseeing the increased scale of delivery, and ensuring operational and financial efficiency.
The Community Development Division, which was previously part of the Housing directorate, will now sit within the Economic, Enterprise, Tourism and Cultural Development Department aligning more closely with the Local Economic and Community Development Committee.
Announcing the changes, Fingal County Council Chief Executive, AnnMarie Farrelly, said: “Fingal continues to grow at scale, presenting new challenges and opportunities for the Council. Under the revised National Planning Framework, the recently published Housing Growth Guidelines set Fingal a target of delivering 44,406 homes — private, affordable, cost rental, and social — over the next 15 years, with more than 70% required in the next decade.
“Building on the strong progress already achieved, delivering this level of housing will also require accelerated infrastructure delivery, including transport and utilities, to support sustainable communities. To continue this success and scale up for future growth, Fingal County Council is modifying its organisational structure with renewed focus on placemaking, delivering homes, supporting infrastructure, and driving economic development, while facilitating the delivery of major public transport projects.”