The National Maternity Hospital (NMH) has a long and proud history of public service. Our governance structures are designed to ensure that the hospital is managed safely, transparently, and in the best interests of women, babies, and families.
The hospital operates in line with national legislation, HSE policies, and best practice standards for healthcare governance.
The National Maternity Hospital (NMH) has been governed by a group of Governors since its early years, with its structure shaped by a 1936 law. Today, an Executive Committee—known as the Board—oversees the hospital’s management, while the Master, elected every seven years, leads day‑to‑day clinical operations. The Board includes medical staff, community representatives, and experts in areas like finance, law, HR, and governance, ensuring a balanced mix of clinical and non‑clinical voices. It meets monthly to review hospital performance, finances, strategy, and patient‑care issues, supported by several specialist committees that manage key areas of hospital activity.
Governance at NMH
Founded through charitable donations in 1894, the NMH became a Corporation in 1903 when it received its Charter. This Charter, along with later legislation, continues to shape how the hospital is governed.
Under the Charter, before its amendment in 1936, the control of NMH rested with the members of the Corporation known as Governors numbering up to 65 but the day to day operational control rested with the Master, an obstetrician and gynaecologist elected by the Governors.
NMH was rebuilt in 1930s and this opportunity was taken to amend the Charter by the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin (Charter Amendment) Act 1936 (the “Act”). The Act, which increased the number of Governors up to 100, established an Executive Committee to manage the Corporation’s property and affairs. The Governors elect the ordinary members of the Executive Committee at each Annual General Meeting and elect the Master once every seven years.
The Act devolved to an Executive Committee known as the Board, the governance, management, administration and control of the NMH and the property and affairs of the Corporation. The Master retains responsibility for the general management of the NMH between meetings of the Board. The Act was ahead of its time in introducing a gender quota and diversity on the Board. In line with a number of other hospitals, and in the context of the Act being enacted not long after the Eucharistic Congress, the chair of the Board is His Grace the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin. The Archbishop has not been actively involved although is informed of significant developments. Also on the Board is Dublin’s first citizen, the Lord Mayor, who in recent years has taken an interest in the NMH and attended board meetings. The effective chair of the Board is the person, officially known as the Deputy Chair, who is elected at the first Board meeting following the Annual General Meeting in each year.
Certain board members are specified in the Act namely, in addition to the Master, the parish priest of Westland Row (in the 1930s the overwhelming majority of the mothers delivering babies would have been Roman Catholic); the public interest is represented by, in addition to the Lord Mayor, two nominations from Dublin Corporation (now Dublin City Council) and the Government’s interest is represented through the ability of the Minister for Health to appoint two nominees. There are two officers namely, the Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary Secretary. Of the others, the Act provides that there shall be not less than six women. In practice the 21 ordinary members of the Board, who are subject to annual election, are split equally between seven medical clinicians practising in the NMH, seven lay men and seven lay women. Thus the Board, consistent with modern day corporate governance, has a majority of non-executives currently drawn with a background of SME business, IT, governance, risk management, HR, property development, financial (accountants, actuaries, brokering), legal, education, research, leadership and strategy. The clinicians, drawn from different medical divisions operating in the NMH, provide the appropriate experience in the relevant fields of medicine necessary to the Board in its determinations. The Board meets monthly and considers issues raised by the Finance Committee and other Committees as well as legal issues including any cases taken against the NMH and strategic issues. Reports are given at the monthly Board meeting by the Master, the Director of Midwifery and Nursing, the Secretary/General Manager, the Financial Controller and the various sub-committees. Regular presentations are given to the Board from units of the NMH so the Board has a full understanding of the working of the NMH which informs the Board when making decisions on all aspects of the NMH.
The Act maintains the successful system of the Mastership (a seven year term which cannot be renewed by the incumbent or a former Master) without which the NMH could not be run in the safe manner in which it currently operates for the annual delivery of approximately 8,000 new lives. The Master is ably assisted by the Clinical Director, the Director of Midwifery and Nursing, the Secretary & General Manager and the Financial Controller.
NMH’s equivalent to a company’s articles of association are its Bye-laws and Regulations introduced in 1955 which have been amended on a number of occasions since. Under the Regulations there are nine sub-committees of the Board namely a Finance Committee, a QRPS Committee, an NMH Executive Ethics Committee, a House Committee, a Nominations Committee, an Audit Committee, a Medical Fund Committee, a People & Organisation Committee, and a Co-Location Committee. The proceedings of the Board and Committees are conducted within the requirements of the Corporate Governance Code for the Board and the Charities Governance Code.
The Finance Committee consists of the Master (effectively the CEO), the Secretary & General Manager (effectively the COO), the Director of Midwifery and Nursing and the Financial Controller together with six lay representatives, namely the Deputy Chairman, the Honorary Treasurer, the Honorary Secretary and three members of the Executive Committee. The Finance Committee meets monthly dealing principally with financial and strategic matters which effectively covers all matters pertaining to the continual management of the NMH, accounts, income, expenditure both current and capital, budgets, retirements, resignations and replacements, insurance, procurement and regulatory matters and correspondence with the Department of Health, the HSE and Ireland East Hospitals Group. It reports to the Board monthly.
The other eight committees meet regularly.
These structures define how the hospital is overseen and managed, ensuring accountability, effective decision-making, and safe, high-quality care for patients.
Governors
Governors Ex-Officio
Dr Dermot Farrell, Archbishop of Dublin, Chair
Cllr Ray McAdam, Lord Mayor of Dublin
Prof Jennifer Walsh (Master)
Fr Alan Hilliard, Administrator of the Parish of St. Andrew, Westland Row
Nominated by Dublin City Council
Cllr Emma Blain
Cllr Cian Farrell
Nominated by the Minister for Health
Ms Patricia O’Shea
Governors Elected
1980
Dr Niall O’Brien
1981
Mr J. Brian Davy
1983
Mrs Judith Meagher
1985
Dr J. T. Gallagher
1986
Mr Gabriel Hogan
1989
Mrs Anne Davy
1990
Mrs Margaret Anderson
Mrs Kathleen O’Grady
1992
Dr Frances Meagher
Mr Kevin Mays
1995
Dr Declan O’Keeffe
Prof. Colm O’Herlihy
1996
Mr William Johnston, Honorary Secretary
1997
Dr Peter Boylan
1998
Mrs Joanne Keane
Mrs Anne Murphy
Mr Frank Downey
Mr Anthony Garry
2001
Ms Alexandra Spain
Mrs Margo McParland
Mrs Catherine Altman
Dr John Murphy (Paeds)
2003
Mr Niall Doyle
Ms Lydia Ensor
Ms Sara Appleby
2005
Ms Caroline Simons
Dr Peter Lenehan
Dr Orla Sheil
Prof. Peter McParland
Ms Sheena Carton
Ms Elaine Doyle
Prof. Declan Keane
Ms Maeve Dwyer
2007
Dr Kevin McKeating
Mrs Mary Donohoe
2008
Ms Catherine Ghose
2011
Mr Barry Dixon
Ms Paula Reid
Ms Suzanne O’Brien
Ms Margaret McCourt
Ms Teresa Murphy
Ms Eugenée Mulhern
Ms Fiona Davy
2012
Dr Deirdre MacDonald
Dr Michael Robson
2013
Prof. Fionnuala McAuliffe
Ms Isabel Foley
Ms Jane McCluskey
Cllr. Naoise Ó Muirí
Ms Elizabeth Nolan
2014
Dr Ingrid Browne
2015
Mr Stephen Vernon
Ms Niamh Callaghan
Ms Rachel Hussey
Ms Marie Daly Hutton
Ms Helen Caulfield
Ms Lisa Taggart
Mr Aidan Devlin
Mr Nicholas Kearns
2016
Ms Michele Connolly
Ms Aoife O’Connor
2018
Dr Roger McMorrow
2019
Dr Paul Downey
Ms Kate Higgins
Dr Rhona Mahony
Ms Aoife O’Shea
Ms Caroline Devlin
Ms Denise Cole
2021
Mr Pat McCann, Deputy Chair
2022
Dr Stephen Carroll
Prof. Jennifer Walsh, Master
Ms Louise Bennett
Mr Bernard McLoughlin
Ms Patricia Nolan
Mr George Maybury
Ms Sarah Claxton
Ms Carmel Logan
Mr Tom Murphy, Honorary Treasurer
2023
Ms Bernadette Campion
Ms Cecilia Barker
Ms Sara Spencer
2024
Ms Jill Beck
Ms Mairead Callanan
Mr Andrew Crotty
Ms Margaret Fanagan
Ms Keara McAndrew
Ms Alison Quinn
Dr Deirdre Sweetman
Mr Charles Watchorn
2025
Nikki Higgins, Director of Anaesthetics
Mr Keith McCormack
Dr Dermot Farrell, Archbishop of Dublin, Chair
Cllr Ray McAdam, Lord Mayor of Dublin
Mr Pat McCann, Deputy Chair
Mr William Johnston, Honorary Secretary
Mr Tom Murphy, Honorary Treasurer
Dr Jennifer Walsh, Master
Fr Alan Hilliard, Administrator of the Parish of St Andrew, Westland Row
Ms Jill Beck
Cllr Emma Blain, DCC Nominee
Ms Sarah Claxton
Ms Denise Cole
Mr Andrew Crotty
Mr Aidan Devlin
Ms Caroline Devlin
Cllr Cian Farrell, DCC Nominee
Dr Nikki Higgins, Director of Anaesthetics
Prof Shane Higgins, previous Master
Prof Declan Keane, Clinical Director, Chair/Prof of Obstetrics RCSI
Ms Carmel Logan
Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Chair/Prof of Obstetrics UCD
Ms Jane McCluskey
Mr Keith McCormack
Ms Patricia O’Shea, Nominee of the Department of Health
Ms Alison Quinn
Dr Michael Robson, Previous Master
Dr Deirdre Sweetman, Director of Neonatology
Mr Charles Watchorn
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin, Secretary/General Manager
Ms Annmarie Sliney, Director of Midwifery & Nursing
Mr Alistair Holland, Financial Controller
The Board
Mr Pat McCann, Deputy Chair
Mr William Johnston, Honorary Secretary
Mr Tom Murphy, Honorary Treasurer
Dr Jennifer Walsh, Master
Ms Jill Beck
Cllr Emma Blain, DCC Nominee
Ms Sarah Claxton
Ms Denise Cole
Mr Andrew Crotty
Mr Aidan Devlin
Ms Caroline Devlin
Cllr Cian Farrell, DCC Nominee
Dr Nikki Higgins, Director of Anaesthetics
Prof Shane Higgins, previous Master
Fr Alan Hilliard, Administrator of the Parish of St Andrew, Westland Row
Prof Declan Keane, Clinical Director, Chair/Prof of Obstetrics RCSI
Ms Carmel Logan
Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Chair/Prof of Obstetrics UCD
Ms Jane McCluskey
Mr Keith McCormack Ms Patricia O’Shea, Nominee of the Department of Health
Ms Alison Quinn
Dr Michael Robson, Previous Master
Dr Deirdre Sweetman, Director of Neonatology
Mr Charles Watchorn
Master
The Current master is Prof. Jennifer Walsh.
The Master is the hospital’s clinical and executive leader, appointed for a single seven‑year term. This model has been central to the NMH’s reputation for safe, high‑quality maternity and gynaecology care.
The Master is supported by:
Together, they oversee the hospital’s operations and ensure the delivery of excellent care to approximately 8,000 families each year.
Committees
Mr Pat McCann, Deputy Chair
Mr Tom Murphy, Honorary Treasurer
Mr William Johnston, Honorary Secretary
Prof Jennifer Walsh, Master
Ms Denise Cole
Mr Aidan Devlin
Ms Carmel LoganIn Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin, Secretary/General Manager
Ms Annmarie Sliney, Director of Midwifery & Nursing
Mr Alistair Holland, Financial Controller
Mr Aidan Devlin, Chair
Mr Tom Murphy, Honorary Treasurer
Mr Frank Downey
Mr Charles Watchorn
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin, Secretary/General Manager
Mr Alistair Holland, Financial Controller
Mr Eoghan Hayden
Mr Pat McCann, Deputy Chair
Mr Tom Murphy, Honorary Treasurer
Prof Jennifer Walsh, Master
Ms Jill Beck
Ms Sarah Claxton
Prof Shane Higgins
Dr Orla Sheil
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin Secretary/General Manager
(Sarah McCourt – Project Administrator)
Ms Sarah Claxton, Chair
Prof Declan Keane
Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe
Ms Jane McCluskey
Mr Bernard McLoughlin
Ms Patricia O’Shea
Ms Carmel Logan
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin, Secretary/General Manager
Dr Orla Sheil – Director QRPS
Mr Pat McCann, Deputy Chair, Chair
Mr William Johnston, Honorary Secretary
Mr Tom Murphy, Honorary Treasurer
Ms Cecilia Barker, Chair of the House Committee
Ms Sarah Claxton, Chair of the QRPS Committee
Ms Denise Cole, Chair of the P&O Committee
Mr Andrew Crotty, Chair of the Medical Fund Committee
Mr Aidan Devlin, Chair of the Audit Committee
Prof Shane Higgins
Prof Declan Keane
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin Secretary/General Manager
Mr Andrew Crotty, Chair
Prof Jennifer Walsh, Master
Dr Stephen Carroll
Mr Frank Downey
Prof Declan Keane
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin, Secretary/General Manager
Mr Alistair Holland, Financial Controller
Mr Francis Rogers, Management Accountant
Prof John Murphy, Chair
Prof Jennifer Walsh, Master
Ms Catherine Altman
Dr Ingrid Browne
Ms Denise Cole
Ms Caroline Devlin
Mr Frank Downey
Dr Paul Downey
Ms Jane McCluskey
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin Secretary/General Manager
Mrs Cecilia Barker, Chair
Mrs Catherine Altman
Ms Sara Appleby
Ms Louise Bennett
Ms Bernadette Campion
Ms Sheena Carton
Ms Fiona Davy
Mrs Elaine Doyle
Ms Margaret Fanagan
Ms Kate Higgins
Ms Keara McAndrew
Mrs Margaret McCourt
Mrs Anne Murphy
Ms Teresa Murphy
Ms Suzanne O’Brien
Ms Aoife O’Shea
In Attendance
Prof Jennifer Walsh, Master
Ms Annmarie Sliney, Director of Midwifery & Nursing
Mr Mark Anderson, Hygiene Services Manager
Ms Denise Cole, Chair
Ms Mairead Callanan
Ms Sarah Claxton
Mr George Maybury
Ms Patricia Nolan
Ms Alison Quinn
In Attendance
Mr Ronan Gavin Secretary/General Manager
Ms Annmarie Sliney, Director of Midwifery and Nursing
Ms Caoimhe de Brun, HR Manager
A comprehensive yearly overview detailing the hospital’s activity, quality of care, financial position, and strategic progress.