Speakers
Matt Cooper
Radio & TV Broadcaster
Matt Cooper is a Radio and TV Broadcaster, Newspaper Columnist and a Best-Selling Author. Matt presents and edits the daily news, current affairs and sports programme, ‘The Last Word’ on Today FM from Monday to Friday, 4.30pm to 7pm. He previously presented ‘The Tonight Show’ on Virgin Media One. He writes a weekly newspaper column for The Irish Daily Mail that is published each Wednesday and The Last Post column on the back page of the Business Post each Sunday.
In 2024, Matt launched his new podcast, ‘Path to Power’, alongside former colleague Ivan Yates. 2024 was the year of elections, in Ireland, the UK, US and the European Union. In Path to Power, experienced broadcasters Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates bring their individual points of view to a lively weekly discussion that sets the agenda and examines all the issues.
In October 2023, Matt released his book ‘Who Really Owns Ireland?’. Matt examines the key players behind the scenes of Irish property ownership – who really controls the valuable land where we live, work and play and how did they acquire it? Who are the new foreign investors and why.
Matt has a long-standing interest in business, going back to his time as Business Editor of the Irish Independent. He has written two major business biographies, both of which were short-listed for Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year: ‘The Maximalist, the story of Tony O’Reilly’ (2015) and ‘Michael O’Leary, turbulent times for the man who made Ryanair’ (2018). The latter was Financial Times book of the month in September 2018. He was also author of the number one bestseller ‘Who Really Runs Ireland’ (2009) and ‘How Ireland Really Went Bust’ (2011), both of which were also short-listed for Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year.
Matt is a former editor of The Sunday Tribune, having been appointed at the age of 30 in 1996. He left for a career in radio in 2003. He was twice national journalist of the year and twice business journalist of the year. He co-produced and presented acclaimed Olympics documentary ‘No Earthly King’ in 2012, and ‘Ireland’s Brexit Dilemma’ and ‘Trump versus Ireland’ for TV3 in 2016 and 2017.
Conor Taaffe
Managing Director, HomeBond
B.E., M.Eng.Sc., M.A.I., BL, Dip. Public Admin, Dip. Legal Studies, CIP, C.Eng
Conor is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Barrister at Law and is the Managing Director of HomeBond, the principle provider in Ireland of structural and defects insurance in the residential construction sector. He is a member of the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s (NSAI) working groups on aggregates, masonry, timber construction and building services, and is a former member of Building Regulations Advisory Body (BRAB).
He is the Module Director for HomeBond’s ‘Building Regulations Explained’ FETAC Level 6 training course accredited by Engineers Ireland and Dublin Institute of Technology, and the ‘Mechanical & Electrical Services Explained’ training course. He has delivered technical presentations at national and international events and seminars over a number of years.
Dermot O’Leary
Chief Economist, Goodbody
Dermot O’ Leary is Chief Economist with Goodbody, Ireland’s longest established stockbroking firm, , a position he has held since November 2004.
Dermot has experience working in the financial services industry. He is skilled in Capital Markets, macroeconomics, Econometrics, Asset Management.
He has a significant institutional investor contact base in both equity and credit, and has extensive international media presence, including on CNBC, Financial Times, BBC, RTE and Irish Times among others.
His economic research focuses on forecasting of the Irish and UK economies with a particular focus on property and banks. Dermot has a big interest in public policy debate and is a member of the organising committee of the Annual Irish Economic Policy Conference.
During Ireland’s adjustment programme with the EU/IMF, he was a regular private sector participant in the missions.
Patrick Phelan
MD Ballymore Group Ireland
Patrick Phelan is the Managing Director of Ballymore Ireland, a privately owned developer of some of Europe’s largest regeneration projects. Ballymore are one of Ireland’s most innovative and dynamic property developers, having completed more than 9,000 homes and 1 million ft2 of commercial development in the UK and Ireland over the past five years.
Patrick is a real estate professional with broad experience in real estate in the UK, Ireland and the US, acquired over a twenty-five year career.
During his tenure, Ballymore have created new headquarters for major corporates and institutions including the Central Bank of Ireland, Microsoft, and the National Treasury Management Agency.
Patrick along with his team were responsible for a forward fund of 435 units in 8th Lock, the last piece of the puzzle in Royal Canal Park in Ashtown, Dublin. Under Patrick’s leadership Ballymore acquired a landbank for over 4,000 units in Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, including Sea Gardens, Seamount Rise, Stonehaven, River Walk, Aster Park and Station Walk.
Brendan Slattery
Partner, McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors
With almost twenty years’ experience in the areas of environment, planning and climate change, Brendan Slattery is recognised as an expert in both planning and environmental law at national and EU level, having advised regulatory authorities, statutory bodies, local authorities and developers on the delivery of a wide range of local and national projects.
In recent years, Brendan has advised on almost every significant infrastructure project across Ireland spanning the areas of energy, transport, water, wastewater and the agri-business sector.
Brendan lectures significantly in planning law on each of the Professional Practice Course in Conveyancing, the Diploma in Commercial Conveyancing and the Diploma in Planning and Environmental Law. He also lectures in planning and environmental law on the Diploma in Physical Planning, the Diploma in Environmental Engineering, the MSc in Environmental Science and the MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation.
Brendan has advised Developers on the delivery of the Apple Data Centre Project, the Project Gemini Data Centre, the Convention Centre Dublin, the Aviva Stadium, the redevelopment of the RTÉ broadcasting campus at Montrose, the river Barrow water supply project, the Leixlip-Ballycoolen water supply scheme, the Leixlip and Osberstown Wastewater Treatment Plants, the National Food Park, the Wyeth Biopharma Campus, the Whitewater Shopping Centre, the Crescent Shopping Centre and of major residential developments throughout the greater Dublin area, including in the City Centre, Ballsbridge, Greystones and Milltown.
Ronan Columb
Managing Director, Castlethorn
Ronan joined Castlethorn in 2004 as Construction Manager and was appointed Construction Director in 2007 where he was responsible for all construction and quantity surveying activities in the company.
In 2023 Ronan was appointed Group Managing Director and he leads and oversees the overall operations and business strategy of the company.
Prior to joining Castlethorn he was a Divisional Director at Walls Construction where he held several management positions and developed his career over 14 years.
Ronan has an Honours Degree in Construction Economics, a Diploma in Construction and is a Chartered Builder and Construction Manager (MCIOB).
Phelim O’Neill
Director, Land Development Agency
Phelim is Director of Development of the Land Development Agency since its inception in September 2018 and has significantly developed and grown the scale and range of projects of the Agency in that time. As part of the role, he is responsible for the sourcing, acquisition, planning and pre-construction of a wide range of projects across the GDA and all the regional Cities. Phelim has over 20 years’ experience in senior property and development roles in both the public and private sector as well as delivery of large-scale infrastructure programmes. Phelim is a graduate of University of Galway (BEng) with post graduate qualifications in project management, construction law and corporate finance.
James Benson
Director, Cairn Homes
James Bension is Director of Strategic Delivery & Policy at Cairn Homes since August 2022, and previously held the position of Director of Housing, Planning and Development Services at the Irish Home Builders’ Association (IHBA) which he joined in 2017.
James is qualified as an engineer and quantity surveyor, and spent several years surveying with contractors, before specialising in passive fire protection.
Stephen McCarthy
CIF President 2025
Stephen McCarthy is the Managing Director of Astra Construction Services Ltd. which he founded over 34 years ago. He has concentrated the business in the Carrigaline area and has built over 2,000 homes.
Stephen’s in-depth knowledge of the house building industry and personal tenacity brought the company through the recession which resulted in the successful completion of a development of 400 houses in Forest Hill, Carrigaline. Having traded successfully over the last 34 years, Astra Construction Services Ltd. is now in the process of building its largest development to date comprising 950 homes in Janeville on Cork Road in Carrigaline.
Stephen is actively involved with Homebond and the CIF, at a local and national level. He is currently the President of Construction Industry Federation (CIF).
Andrew Brownlee
CEO, CIF
Andrew has been CEO at SOLAS, the state agency responsible for further education, construction skills, and apprenticeships, since September 2019, having previously served as Executive Director for Strategy and Knowledge. He commenced as CEO of CIF in October 2025.
He joined SOLAS from the Higher Education Authority, where he was Head of System Funding from 2015 to 2019. Prior to that, Andrew had a long and distinguished career in management consulting, working for Fitzpatrick Associates, PA Consulting and PwC. Andrew has a Master’s Degree in Economics and Accounting from the University of Edinburgh.
At SOLAS, Andrew played a key role in the development of the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Demonstration Park and the wider Construction Skills Campus at Mount Lucas, projects that underline his belief in innovation as a driver of productivity.
James Browne TD
Minister for Housing
James Browne was appointed Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in January 2025. He was previously Minister of State Department of Justice with responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice.
James was first elected to Dáil Éireann in the February 2016 general election as a representative of Wexford.
He has served as the Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Mental Health, leading initiatives to reform mental health services in Ireland, including the Mental Health (Amendment) Act 2018 and served on the Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Mental Healthcare.
He was born in Enniscorthy, Wexford, and is the oldest of a family of 4. He was educated locally at St. Mary’s CBS, Enniscorthy before attending Waterford IT, University College Cork and the King’s Inns. He was called to the Bar in 2006.
Barrett Chapman
Partner, McCann Fitzgerald
Barrett advises developers, contractors, consultants, insurers and funders on a variety of construction-related issues. As well as core construction contract drafting and negotiation, he is an expert in the areas of professional indemnity insurance, dispute resolution and health and safety. Barrett has lectured on construction law at Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, the Construction Industry Federation and Engineers’ Ireland.
Sarah Neary
Building Standards, DHLGH
Sarah is Principal Adviser, Building Standards, in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. She has responsibility for leading the Building Standards Advisory Unit in its role to develop policy and legislation in respect of building control, building regulations, construction products, legacy defects issues, and in respect of the pyrite remediation, governance and oversight of the Pyrite Resolution Board. She is a Chartered Engineer, holds a Civil Engineering Degree from the University of Galway and a MBA from UCD. Prior to joining the Department, Sarah worked as a Structural Design Engineer with Ryan Hanley consulting engineers in Galway.
Daniel Hicks
Technical Manager, NHBC
Daniel has worked in the construction industry for over 20 years, originally completing an apprenticeship as a Brick layer before completing a degree in Building surveying and moving over to the world of latent defects insurance. Daniel leads a multi-disciplinary team within NHBC’s Standards, Innovation and Research department with the primary aim of mitigating future technical risks to the NHBC. Daniel and his team also manage the NHBC foundation, taking projects from conception to the finished publication.
Aideen O’Hora
Sustainability Works Ireland
An environmental scientist by background, Aideen is an expert in sustainable business, energy, and climate innovation. Over her career, she has created national programmes to inform policy and drive progress on corporate sustainability. She is passionate about creating change by connecting the dots between climate and business. A pioneer in the area of climate innovation, she’s a big believer in the opportunities climate tech provides for Irish entrepreneurs and businesses.
Aideen previously worked with The Green Way (Ireland’s first climate tech cluster), Sustainable Nation Ireland, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Abbott Laboratories, Novartis and Cork County Council.
Daniel McCrum
Associate Professor, UCD
Daniel McCrum graduated in 2005 from Trinity College Dublin with a first class honours degree in Civil Engineering. He then moved to Scotland and completed an MSc in Structural Engineering and Mechanics from the University of Glasgow in 2006, and his MSc scholarship was awarded by the Scottish Awards Agency Scholarship. He worked as a consulting structural engineer for several years in Dublin prior to undertaking his PhD in Trinity College Dublin in 2008 funded by an Irish Research Council Scholarship. He then joined Queen’s University Belfast as a lecturer in 2012.
In September 2017 he joined UCD as an Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering, and is currently an Associate Professor in Structural Enginering. I am a chartered structural engineer with the Institution of Structural Engineers (2016).
He founded the Modern Methods of Construction Research Group (MMCRG) in 2021 (https://www.ucd.ie/mmcrg/). The MMCRG leads research to improve the design of modern methods of construction, such as offsite volumetric modular and cold-formed steel panelised construction.
He is a member of the Centre Executive Management Committee of Construct Innovate (https://constructinnovate.ie/), and leads the Challenge Theme of Productivity, Affordability and Cost in Construct Innovate, and also the MMC Working Group in Construct Innovate.
Jeff Colley
Passive House Plus
Jeff Colley is Editor / Publisher of Passive House Plus the world’s first English language magazine focused on building and upgrading to the world’s leading low energy standard – passive house. Published in separate UK and Irish editions, the magazine’s focus extends beyond energy efficiency to take in indoor air quality, water usage and the environmental impact of materials. The magazine won the Business to Business Magazine of the Year award at the Irish Magazine Awards in December 2012. Published on a bimonthly basis, Passive House Plus is an ABC audited, full colour, perfect bound publication, printed on paper from Forest StewardShip Council certified sources.
Jeff is at the forefront of promotion of sustainable construction in Ireland, and in 2003 he founded the Environmental and Sustainable Construction Association. He is a key figure in managing relationships with public authorities, as well as dealing with the industry environment. Jeff’s intervention has been indeed one of the main driving forces leading to the historical decision of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to integrate the Passive House Standards into its development plan.
Peter McCaughey
Managing Director, IJM Timberframe
Peter McCaughey is the Managing Director of IJM Timber Engineering, a pioneering force in sustainable timber-frame construction headquartered in Monaghan, with a cutting-edge manufacturing facility in Dundalk, Co. Louth. With over three decades of visionary leadership, Peter has steered IJM through a transformative era of innovation, growth, and environmental stewardship.
Under his guidance, IJM has become a trailblazer in off-site timber-frame construction, delivering precision-engineered, eco-conscious building solutions across Ireland. Central to IJM’s promise is “Reliability, Built on Time” — a commitment to delivering high-performance structures with speed, accuracy, and dependability. This ethos has earned IJM the trust of residential developers, builders, and public sector partners alike.
Peter’s strategic approach fuses sustainability with advanced technology, positioning IJM as a leader in modern construction. He has championed the use of renewable materials and low-carbon building practices, aligning IJM’s operations with global sustainability goals. Through the principle of “Building in Balance”, IJM help minimise your carbon footprint without compromising cost-efficiency or design integrity — redefining timber frame as a smart, responsible method of construction.
In 2025, Peter was honoured as the Business All-Star Ulster Businessperson of the Year by the All-Ireland Business Foundation — a testament to his outstanding impact on the timber frame sector and his unwavering commitment to excellence.
IJM Timber Engineering recently marked its 60th anniversary — a milestone that reflects the company’s enduring legacy and Peter’s dedication to fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
With a strong foundation in business planning, change management, and strategic marketing, Peter McCaughey continues to lead IJM Timber Engineering with vision and integrity, shaping the future of sustainable construction in Ireland and beyond.
Michael Goan
Sustainability Lead, Land Development Agency
Michael Goan is a RIAI registered Architect and a graduate of DIT and has also received an MSc in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies from the University of East London/ CAT. He commenced as Urban Design and Sustainability Manager with the Land Development Agency (LDA) in November 2002, and currently holds the position of Sustainability Lead from December 2024.
Michael is a Board Member of the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF) since 2019 – an independent organisation founded in 2005 to connect people with architecture, through festivals, exhibitions, placemaking and learning initiatives.
As a member and former chair of the RIAI’s sustainability task force as well as a sectoral nominee to Dublin City Council SPC for Climate Action, Environment and Energy, Michale is an advocate for the mainstreaming of sustainability as an overarching consideration of all aspects of architecture teaching and practice. He is a current member of the RIAI Board of Architectural Education.
Michael has received recognition at the RIAI annual awards for his works as well as being shortlisted for the Mies Van Der Rohe European architecture prize.
Lorraine Fitzgerald
Head of Sustainability, Glenveagh
Lorraine Fitzgerald has 25 years’ experience leading and influencing in the area of sustainability, ESG and stakeholder engagement. With a background in environmental science, she has combined this with excellent communication skills to drive purposeful and dynamic change. This has included leading and delivering a range of sustainability and climate change strategies for corporates as well as governments and agencies both in Ireland and Scotland. Lorraine has been Head of Sustainability with Glenveagh Properties since October 2021 and have been a board member of the Irish Green Building Council since 2023.