Our Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors in made up of people from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors, social partners, parents and childcare providers, who sit in a voluntary capacity. See below for information on our staff members also.

They are:

Kathleen Cash

Kathleen Cash is the owner/manager of Tir na nOg, Athy for which she was awarded the Early Childhood Ireland, Educator of the Year 2019. The service has grown to meet the changing and growing needs of families and communities in the area. In recognition of the high standard of care and education of the children at Tír Na NÓg they have previously been awarded three All Ireland Centre of Excellence awards and have been recognised as a certified Montessori Environment.

Kathleen enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise with the wider community and is involved at several different business levels. She is actively involved in the Athy Chamber of Commerce and is a member of Kildare Enterprise Women’s Network.

Anthony Egan

Anthony Egan is the representative for the County Kildare Community & Voluntary Forum on the board of Kildare County Childcare Committee. Anthony currently holds the position of Chairperson on the County Kildare Community and Voluntary Forum. The aims of the forum are to articulate and represent the diverse and common views of the community, voluntary and disadvantaged sectors through consultation and communication. The forum also has a mandate to empower community participation. They promote social inclusion and equality by influencing policy and decision -making by local authority and other statutory agencies on the economic, social and cultural development of County Kildare.
Anthony is also an active member of his local residents association.

Réiltín McCall

Réiltín McCall is a HR Consultant with over 20 years experience. In addition to a B.A and M. Phil, Réiltín holds masters level qualifications in Strategic Human Resource Management and Lean Systems. She is a PRINCE2 project manager, Chartered member of the CIPD and a qualified facilitator, coach, trainer and mediator. Réiltín has over 20 years’ as a consultant working with small and medium-sized private, social and community enterprises and public sector funders. Her areas of focus are HR and people management, organisational facilitation and development, and conflict resolution.

Edel Smyth

Edel has recently joined the Health and Safety Authority, taking on responsibility for the Authority’s Information and Quality Services. This involves the cross-functional management of the ICT, Research, Quality Assurance and Data Protection units, with the aim of building the required synergies to deliver strategic and valuable data for the Authority and its stakeholders.

Prior to joining the HSA, Edel worked with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, responsible for the dissemination of food safety information to stakeholders. Edel also had responsibility for the Authority’s business management system which played a key part in ensuring good governance, compliance, risk management and continuous improvement.

Before assuming the position of Information Manager, Edel held the post of Education Executive with the FSAI where she secured European funding for various educational projects and worked closely with the European Commission and with national partners to successfully deliver those projects. Prior to joining the FSAI, Edel worked as a teacher in a number of Dublin post-primary schools, and was co-author of a Leaving Certificate textbook.

Living in Kildare and a mum of three, Edel has a particular interest in the quality of childcare in the area, and therefore is delighted to be a Board member of the KCCC.

Edel holds an MBs in Business Practice (UCC) and an MSc in Food Science (UCD) as well as a H Dip. in Education (Trinity College Dublin) and a PG Dip. in Public Relations (Fitzwilliam Institute).

Kathryn Brennan

Kathryn Brennan is a Senior Compliance Manager. As a working parent of two primary school aged children Kathryn understands and appreciates the need for good quality childcare in Kildare, which is why she was delighted to be appointed to the board of KCCC.

Having worked in Financial services for 15+ years, Kathryn currently works as a Senior Compliance Manager. She holds a Professional Diploma in Compliance and a Degree in Legal Studies with Business. She has previously served as a trustee on the Board of the Citizen's Advice Bureau for the London Borough of Hounslow.

Patricia Condron O'Connor

Patricia has recently retired from managing a Childcare Project in Dublin Inner City. This project, Donore Education Network, aimed to assist children to stay in, benefit from and progress in the educational system. To this end the project ran a Breakfast and After School Club for up to fifty primary school children from 2000 to the end of 2019. These clubs endeavoured to meet the nutritional, educational and social needs of the children of the Donore area - an area of high disadvantage.
Her background is in Sociology, specifically around social change, gaining a Master in 1989 and then lecturing in a number of Dublin hospitals and Trinity College on the Sociology of Nursing. Later, to tie in with her work with children and young people she completed an MSc in Child Protection and Welfare in Trinity addressing the issue of child neglect. Throughout her working life her interest was always in the needs of the children and community she served. She hopes to continue this interest in her retirement.

David McCarthy

David joined KCCC in May 2021 as Financial Director and is a member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee within KCCC.

David has 17 years experience in the financial services sector, having worked as Senior Manager in Business Banking in AIB Bank, to heading up the Hospitality Sector for AIB Bank, and then from 2021 moving into a new role as Regional & Sectoral Head of Business Banking in Permanent TSB, with overall responsibility for Dublin North, North East and West of Ireland regions as well as Hospitality & Tourism, Transport & Logistics, Healthcare and Manufacturing & Food sectors.

David holds a BA In Music and Philosophy, an MA in Computer Music, and an MA in Digital Media Technology. He is also a Qualified Financial Advisor, with a Diploma in Financial Services and a Diploma in SME Credit from Institute of Bankers.

David lives in Kildare and has 3 children, one of whom passed away in 2017 having been born with a neurological condition and hence linked in with multiple services within the community. It is this experience that spurred David to take up a position on the board of KCCC.

Our Staff

KCCC employs five full-time and two part-time staff members.

Julie McNamara, CEO

Julie McNamara is the CEO of Kildare County Childcare Committee where she has worked since 2004. Julie is a UCC graduate, of the first BA in Early Childhood Studies Degree in Ireland, where she obtained a First Class Honours Degree in 2000. Julie also holds a M.Soc.Sc in Youth and Community work and a Diploma in Community Leadership.

Julie has worked in the Community and Voluntary sector since the age of 17 which has included: volunteering for Oxfam in India, Simon Community in Galway, and as a Childcare worker for the Traveller community in Cork. Julie has worked in the area of disability and coordinated a Project for young men at risk in Mallow, Co. Cork prior to returning to Kildare to take up her position with KCCC.

Julie is passionate about working for young children and families and values the rights of the child. Julie works from the principles of community development and believes everyone has the right to be heard, included and empowered. Julie believes Early Childhood lays the foundations for the rest of the life cycle and is committed to working towards ensuring young children in Kildare receive the best outcomes possible.

Julie is Mother to Aisha, enjoys her job, running, yoga, cooking, gardening, travelling, and music.

Contact Julie on - julie@kccc.ie

Emily Moore, Development Officer

Emily has worked in KCCC since 2006 and has seen a lot of changes in the sector over the last few years since the arrival of the ECCE scheme in April 2009. With the introduction of the ECCE scheme in 2009 KCCC developed a closer working relationship and contact with the services providing childcare in Kildare.

Emily, in her role of Programme Administrator, offers the provision of information, support and advice on National Programmes for childcare providers in Kildare, from ECCE and TEC CCS/P. Assisting services with re-entry and new entry to contracts. A significant element of the role involves the completion of Fee policy forms and advice on all areas of PIP registrations and queries. Emily's background over many years has been with Community organisations, Office Administration and Customer Service.

Contact Emily on - emily@kccc.ie

Catherine Colleton, Development Officer

Catherine joined KCCC in March 2019 as Assistant Programme Administrator. Catherine has a BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and Care and has worked in the childcare sector for 10years. She has also completed QQI Level 6 Train the Trainer and is a qualified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer with 12+ years experience coaching children's gymnastics.

Catherine's role in KCCC is to provide support and advice in relation to National Programmes, including AIM, to childcare providers in Kildare and also to provide support to parents.

Catherine is mother to Cora and enjoys spending time with her family, fitness and music.

Contact Catherine on - catherine@kccc.ie

Amy Dempsey, Development Officer

Amy joined the KCCC team in January 2020 as Development Officer. Amy has a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and an MA in Child, Family and Community Studies. She also holds a QQI Level 6 Training Delivery and Evaluation. Amy has been working in the childcare sector for 12 years, with experience working as a practitioner and also in management positions. She also worked abroad for 4 years in the U.A.E and China as a kindergarten teacher. In her spare time, Amy enjoys travel, cooking and reading.

Contact Amy on - comdev@kildarechildcare.ie

Jane Beatty, Development Officer

Jane has worked with KCCC since 2016. She has extensive experience in the semi-state and not-for-profit sectors, including NCGE (an agency of the Department of Education and Science), Barnardos, OPEN and Northside Partnership. Having completed the Masters in Child, Family and Community Studies in TU Dublin most recently, Jane also holds a BA(Hons) in History and English and a Higher Diploma in Library and Information Studies. Jane's experience includes Information management, editing publications and writing/editing online content. Jane is interested in children's rights, and in working with families and with childcare professionals to ensure the best early care and education for children.

Jane enjoys gardening, being outdoors with her family and travel.

Contact Jane on: jane@kccc.ie

Ashling Henderson, Administrator

Ashling has worked with KCCC since 2017. She has over 15 years administration experience and prior to working in KCCC she worked in Health Services. She holds a Degree in Business Management, a Certificate in Company Secretarial Law & Practice and a Level 8 Certificate in Data Protection.

Contact Ashling on: admin@kccc.ie

Louise Finnegan, Clerical Officer

Louise is a Clerical Officer with Kildare County Childcare Committee, joining the team in March 2019. She is a graduate of NUI Maynooth with BA (Hons) in Economics and Finance. She has worked in Banking and Fund Administration for more than 10 years and is now enjoying working with KCCC and learning about the early years sector, while providing administration support. In her spare time Louise enjoys spending time with her family.

Contact Louise on: info@kccc.ie

Our Members