You are Here: Home / About the IPU / IPU Committees

IPU Committees

Rory ODonnell

Rory O'Donnell, President

Rory O'Donnell was elected President of the IPU by the Executive Committee and took up the position at the IPU National Pharmacy Conference on 28 April 2012. Rory was formerly Vice-President of the IPU, Vice-Chairperson of the Community Pharmacy Committee and has served on the Executive and Pharmacy Contractors' Committees in the past.

He is a native of Dungloe and is the proprietor of a pharmacy in Derrybeg, Co. Donegal.

Rory graduated from The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, in 1990 with a BSc(Hons)Pharm. He also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Natural Science from Trinity College Dublin and a Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from the Irish Management Institute.

Kathy Maher

Kathy Maher, Vice-President

Kathy Maher was elected as Vice-President to the IPU by the Executive Committee and took up the position at the IPU National Pharmacy Conference on 28 April 2012. Kathy is also the North Eastern Regional Representative on the Executive Committee and Chairperson of the IPU National Pharmacy Conference Committee.

Kathy graduated from Pharmacy in Queen’s University, Belfast in 1996. After pre-registration she worked in Dublin, then in 2000 moved to Duleek Pharmacy, which she bought in 2005.

She has been involved with the IPU since 2002, having experience on all of the Committees. Kathy was Honorary Treasurer from 2010-2012 and has been on the Pharmacy Contractors' Committee since 2007. She was a tutor with the Irish Centre for Continuing Pharmaceutical Education for many years.


John Gleeson

John Gleeson, Honorary Treasurer

John Gleeson was elected as Honorary Treasurer to the IPU by the Executive Committee and took up the position at the IPU National Pharmacy Conference on 28 April 2012. John is also the Mid-West Regional Representative on the Executive Committee. He is a native of Limerick and proprietor of Woodview Pharmacy in Limerick City.

John graduated from the University of Brighton in 1996 and went on to practice in community pharmacy in England and Australia before returning to Limerick in 2000. He has been involved in IPU committees since 2006.

Committees are elected by the members of their region every two years. As well as Regional Committees, the IPU has four national committees:

  • Executive Committee
    The Executive Committee has overall responsibility for all aspects of policy and management of the IPU. The other national committees report to the Executive Committee.
  • Pharmacy Contractors’ Committee (PCC)
    The PCC is responsible for engaging and negotiating with the HSE on the terms and agreements of the pharmacy contract. Individual pharmacists hold contracts with the HSE for the delivery of the community drugs schemes on behalf of the State. The PCC oversees the implementation of programmes and initiatives that are developed under the terms of the contract. The mission statement of the PCC is: "Advocating and negotiating on behalf of community pharmacy contractors with Government and its agencies to secure fair remuneration and equitable contractual terms for the delivery of services to patients."
  • Community Pharmacy Committee (CPC)
    The CPC works to serve and support community pharmacists in their practices and to promote and expand their role as pharmacists by continually developing professional, ethical, business and technological ideals and standards. This committee is responsible for the promotion and development of the profession, the development of the business policy, training and IT agenda.
  • Employee Pharmacists’ Committee (EPC)
    The EPC represents the growing number of community pharmacy employees in Ireland. Employee pharmacists also elect representatives onto the Executive Committee and the Community Pharmacy Committee. The mission of the EPC is “to foster an active and dynamic Employee Pharmacists’ Committee which actively promotes the professional and economic interests of employee pharmacists and constructively engages with the other Committees of the Union and with our stakeholders.”