Ibec and the gender balanced organisation

IN next week’s issue of The Tuam Herald, 21 local women, contemporary and historic, will be celebrated as part of International Women’s Week, in a magazine entitled Women Who Dared (WWD). It will be free with your copy of the paper.

TH Body Ragged: The major sponsor is the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) which is Ireland’s largest lobby and business representative group. Their vision is to “build a better, sustainable future by influencing, supporting, and delivering for business success.”

Since 2009, this organisation has been headed up by Danny McCoy who was born in Circular Road, Tuam to Mary (Hogan) McCoy and the late Tony McCoy.

Danny is brother to Deirdre and the late Geraldine. When one sees a list of his academic qualifications, it’s no surprise that he is a major figure in Ireland’s business world: educated in the CBS Tuam, his primary degree was taken in NUI Galway (B Comm) and his Master’s in UCD (M Econ Sc).

Also since 2009, Danny has been the President of The Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland (SSISI), a body which was founded in 1847 with the purpose of analysing “major changes which have taken place in population, employment, the legal and administrative systems, and social services” in the 32 counties of Ireland. He has lectured in DCU’s Business School, has worked in the Economic and Social Research Institute — recently becoming editor of the ESRI’s Quarterly Economy Commentary — and in University College London. He has also worked as an economist in the Central Bank of Ireland.

While I tried to lure him into a discussion on gender (well, we were talking about Women Who Dared), he ably diverted me to where he wanted to be – talking about the value Ibec is adding to Ireland. But then I reminded myself that this man is dealing with national and European politicians, economists, and business owners and is a familiar voice on radio and face on national television. Danny is an experienced debater. So … we learned about Ibec.

Read the feature in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, on sale in shops and online www.tuamherald.ie