DfI Minister John O’Dowd appoints Councillors to the Drainage Council
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd has appointed Downpatrick councillor Gareth Sharvin Newry Mourne and Down) along with other councillors Robert Irvine, (Omagh), Julie Middleton (Derry) Dermot Nicholl, (Causeway) and Pete Wray (Ards) to serve as Non-Executive Councillor Members on the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland
The appointments will take effect from 1 November 2024 and will be for a maximum of four years.
Minister O’Dowd said: “I am pleased to announce the appointments of the Councillors to these important roles. I am confident they will maintain the high standard of work set by previous Members.”
The Drainage Council exists to perform a general scrutiny role in relation to the Department’s drainage functions and has a statutory duty to ensure uniformity of treatment on drainage issues throughout Northern Ireland.
Gareth Sharvin Bio
Gareth Sharvin has served with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council since 2011 representing the Downpatrick DEA. He has particular experience within corporate governance, policy development and strategic planning.
He currently works for a multi-national software company as a Supportability Program Manager, managing transformational programs across the organisation.
He has a range of active volunteering roles including as Club President of a local football club and as Assistant Secretary of his local GAA club.
He is a Board Member on LibrariesNI, with remuneration of £3380 per annum. He holds no other public appointments.
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The Department’s responsibilities include the management of flood risk. This involves undertaking watercourse and coastal flood management in a sustainable manner. The Drainage Council exists to perform a general scrutiny role in relation to the Department’s drainage functions and has a statutory duty to ensure uniformity of treatment on drainage issues throughout Northern Ireland. The Council’s membership is set out in legislation (Schedule 1 of the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973.
The Drainage Council Northern Ireland consists of 10 representatives from local Councils, two ex-officio members who are officials within the Department and one ‘specialist’ representative for each of the following: drainage; agriculture; fisheries; industry; conservation; and tourism. The appointments are non-remunerated.
Other Bios.
Pete Wray
Pete is an elected UUP Councillor on Ards and North Down Borough Council, representing the Ards Peninsula Ward. He is also the Party Spokesperson for The Arts.
Pete is also the Manager or Ards and North Down Alternatives, a community based restorative justice organisation. He served as an independent member of the Ards and North Down Policing and Community Safety Partnership between 2019 and 2023. He holds no other public appointments.
Robert Irvine
Robert has been an elected local UUP District Councillor since 2001 and currently sits as a member of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council representing Enniskillen Ward.
In his role as a councillor, he sits on various committees, notably the Planning Committee and the Local Development Plan Steering Group of which he has been chair since 2015. He has been a partner in R.J. Irvine, a quantity surveying and project management consultancy firm, since 1982.
He currently is a Board member of the Public Health Agency for which he receives remuneration of £9,678 per annum. He holds no other public appointments.
Julie Middleton
Julie has been an elected DUP representative since May 2023 serving Derry City and Strabane District Council representing the Faughan Ward. She has been a proactive member of the Business and Culture and Environment and Regeneration committees.
Julie was appointed as a Commissioner of the Londonderry Port and Harbour this year and also serves on the Audit and Environmental and Health and Safety working groups for which she receives remuneration of £9,326 per annum.
She has served on the board of RAPID and has recently been appointed to the board of City of Derry Airport, which is non-remunerated. Julie is employed with the Foyle Down Syndrome Trust as the Mentor and Inclusion Officer. She holds no other public appointments.
Dermot Nicholl
Dermot has served as a Sinn Féin Councillor with Causeway Coast and Glens Council since 2014, representing the Benbradagh Ward.
He is a former Chair of Planning, Audit, Corporate Policy and Leisure & Development Committees. He has seen the reform of local government from 2014 to present and has been involved in shaping the Local Development Plan.
He currently sits on the Councils Planning, Finance and Corporate Policy Committee’s and is a member of the NILGA executive committee. He holds no other public appointments.
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