Dearbháil began her five-year appointment earlier this month.
Our CEO Dearbháil Lawless has been appointed to sit on the Board of Directors for SOLAS. SOLAS are a state agency under the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science. 
They manage a range of Further Education and Training (FET) programmes in Ireland, working with Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and regional managers. Their aim is to support the development of FET in Ireland.
Appointments are made to the SOLAS Board under different categories. Dearbháil has been appointed under “Representing the needs and interests of learners.” This category states that “candidates must have experience of representing the needs and interests of learners in receipt of further education and training, either at local or national level.”
Encouraging SOLAS to place the learner at the centre of their work and to consider how their activities impact learners will be at the heart of Dearbháil’s work over her term on the board. She will also share insights from our research at our Learner Forums and seek opportunities for learner consultation on important areas of SOLAS’ work.
Speaking about her appointment to the SOLAS Board, Dearbháil said:
“I'm looking forward to learning about SOLAS' work in more detail and understanding the bigger picture when it comes to their activities. The adult education space is complex with so many moving parts. Being on the SOLAS Board will help to strengthen my knowledge and capacity. Separately, I will continue our work in AONTAS, advocating for equal access to quality education for everyone. Learners have always been at the heart of everything we do.”
Dearbháil officially began her position on the SOLAS Board on 4 April 2024. You can read more about the work SOLAS does here.