Agri-Food Regulator expands with new legal and research unit

Agri-Food Regulator expands to include a new legal and research unit, appointing Ciara O'Gorman as head of legal and research and Anne Hayden as policy and research officer

Ciara O’Gorman, left, head of legal and research, and Anne Hayden, policy and research officer at the Agri-Food Regulator.

A new legal and research unit has been launched within An Rialálaí Agraibhia (Agri-Food Regulator) as the organisation continues to expand.

The establishment of the unit marks a further step in the continued development of the Agri-Food Regulator, strengthening its in-house expertise as its regulatory, enforcement, research and policy responsibilities continue to evolve.

Ciara O’Gorman has been appointed head of legal and research and will lead the provision of comprehensive in-house legal advice across the regulator, while overseeing legal and policy research relating to its enforcement powers, data collection and transparency objectives.

Ms O’Gorman is a solicitor with 20 years’ experience working across regulated industries. She has held senior legal and compliance roles with international insurance firms. Before joining the Agri-Food Regulator, she worked with the Data Protection Commission as part of its large-scale inquiries team.

Ms O’Gorman said: “I’m delighted to take on this new role at an important stage in the Regulator’s development. A strong legal and research function will be central to supporting the organisation as its work continues to evolve, and to advancing greater transparency and fairness across Ireland’s agri-food supply chain.” 

The regulator has also appointed Anne Hayden as policy and research officer.. Ms Hayden brings a strong research background in Irish agriculture and agricultural policy, with particular expertise in the regional impacts of climate mitigation measures.

Chief executive of the Agri-Food Regulator Niamh Lenehan said: “The establishment of the legal and research unit is a significant development in the Agri-Food Regulator’s current stage of growth.

"Ciara O’Gorman brings extensive legal and regulatory experience that strengthens our in-house legal and research capacity and will enhance organisational resilience, responsiveness and capacity to meet evolving legislative and stakeholder expectations.

“Anne’s expertise in agricultural research and policy will further strengthen the unit’s evidence and research base. Together, these appointments will supplement the specialist expertise in the organisation as we continue to grow and deliver on the regulator’s statutory remit. I look forward to working with them both.”