Appointments to the Board of Libraries NI

The Department for Communities has announced an extension to the second term of appointment of the Chair of the Libraries NI Board, Professor Bernard Cullen, from 1 November 2023 to 31 December 2023. He has served as Chair since 1 November 2014.

Miss Linda Wilson, Libraries NI Board Member, has also been reappointed for a second term, from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2027. She has served on the Board since 1 November 2019.

The primary duty of the Northern Ireland Library Authority (known as Libraries NI), as set down in the Libraries Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, is to provide a comprehensive and efficient public Library service for persons living, working or studying in Northern Ireland.
 

Notes to editors: 

1. Libraries NI is an Arm’s-Length Body of the Department for Communities.

2. The Chair position receives remuneration of £12,858 per annum plus travel and subsistence allowances in line with Northern Ireland Civil Service rates for a time commitment of at least 30 days per year. The Member position receives remuneration of £3,225 per annum plus travel and subsistence allowances in line with Northern Ireland Civil Service rates for a time commitment of 15 days per year.

3. Biographies:

• Prof Bernard Cullen - Professor Cullen is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Queen’s University Belfast, a Training Fellow of the Institute of Psychoanalysis (London) and Director of Training of the Northern Ireland Psychoanalytic Society. He is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Parkanaur Residential College. A former Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Queen’s, he has also been Chair of the Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards, a member of the Public Service Commission, Vice-President of the Belfast & District Trades Union Council, Chair of the Board of the Workers’ Educational Association (NI), founding Chair of the Crescent Arts Centre, President of the Irish Philosophical Society, President of the Irish Association for Cultural, Economic and Social Relations, Philosophy Consultant to the European Science Foundation Project on Social Justice, and Chair of the Ethics Committee of the British Confederation of Psychotherapists. Prof Cullen holds no other public appointments.
• Miss Linda Wilson - Miss Wilson is a former Department of Education Board Member where she contributed to the corporate planning process, financial and performance management. She developed a new early-years learning policy and has wide experience of policy development and governance at a senior level across a range of NICS Departments.  She has also been the chair of project boards of several major capital projects through which she oversaw risk management and financial progress. Miss Wilson holds no other public appointments.

4. These appointment decisions have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland’s (CPA NI) Code of Practice. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, CPA NI requires the political activity of appointees to be published.

5. Prof Cullen and Miss Wilson have declared no political activity in the last five years.

6. Media enquiries to Press Office via email: 

7. Follow us on Twitter: @CommunitiesNI

8. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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