The Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention and Response Committee is in place since 2019 (formerly Consent Framework Implementation Working Group).

The SVH Prevention and Response Committee includes broad representation from within the university, comprising of staff and student representatives and our external partner the Galway Rape Crisis Centre. This wide representation is essential in terms of the ability to affect change and implement actions within different functions and units across the university. 

The Committee meets five times per academic year. The committee membership (Oct 24 is detailed below).

Dr Helen Maher (Co-Chair)

Vice President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Dr Pádraig Mac Neela (Co-Chair)

Head of School of Psychology

Ms Rebecca Connolly

SVH Prevention & Response Coordinator

Ms Niamh Kavanagh

SVH Prevention & Response Manager

Ms Aoife Cooke

Head of EDI

Dr Ciara Egan

Assistant Prof in Psychology

Ms Sinéad Clarke

Nominee of the Academic Secretary

Ms Cathy Connolly

Executive Director, Galway Rape Crisis Centre

Dr Nata Duvvury

Director, Global Women's Studies

Mr John Hannon

Director of Student Services

Ms Josephine Hynes

Director of Human Resources

Ms Sinéad Wynne

HR Employee Relations manager

Prof Dónal Leech

Dean of Postgraduate studies

Ms Gemma MacNally

Student Counsellor

Mr James McCormack

Director of Student Counselling

Prof Ciara Meehan

Dean of Students

Dr Elizabeth Tilley

IFUT Representative

Ms Dinali Wijeratne

International Staff Network representative

Dr Declan Coogan

Former Chair of the LGBT+ network

Ms Mary Dempsey

Vice-Dean EDI - CSE

Dr Deirdre Curran

Vice-Dean EDI - CBPPL

Dr Kasia Whysall

Vice-Dean EDI - CMNHS

Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley

Vice-Dean EDI - CASSCS

Faye Ní Domhnaill

Student's Union President

Chloe Anderson

Student's Union VP & Welfare Officer

Tom Forde

Student's Union Education Officer

Julieanne Ní Mhullaoid

Vice President for Gaeilge

Orla Cullinane

Shannon College of Hotel Management

Tanja Schafer

Sports

Feargal O'Callaghan

Sports

Mr Hugh Rodgers

Garda Liaison Officer

 

The Vice President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Dr Helen Maher and the Head of School of Psychology, Dr. Pádraig MacNeela have co-chaired the Consent Framework Implementation Working Group since 2019. In April 2022, the name of the working group changed to the Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention and Response Committee to reflect sectoral norms and the wider remit regarding sexual violence and harassment within this group.

The SVH Prevention and Response Committee includes broad representation from within the university, comprising of staff and student representatives and our external partner the Galway Rape Crisis Centre. This wide representation is essential in terms of the ability to affect change and implement actions within different functions and units across the university. 

The Committee meets five times per academic year. The scheduled meetings for 24/25 are as follows:

October 16th 2024

December 11th 2024  [Policy Launch]

February 17th 2025

April 28th 2025

June 17th  2025

We have a new (2024) initiative of issuing a newsletter following the committee meetings. It is expected committee members will disseminate the information across the organisation.

Please see newsletters here. [link to page with newsletters]