Our Team
IDE Committee Members 2021/2022
Dr Rachel Mac Cann
operationsofficer@ide.ie
Dr Rachel Mac Cann is an Infectious Diseases SpR and ICAT Fellow at St Vincent's University Hospital, and has completed the diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygeine at The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
With a love of the outdoors, active travel and biodiversity, she works to promote sustainability in healthcare to build a climate-resilient and equitable future for our health system.
Dr Aoife Kirk
membership@ide.ie
Dr Aoife Kirk is currently working for Geneva Sustainability Centre on Learning Programmes for hospital CEOs and management internationally. She was introduced to the concept of Planetary Health in her MPH in LSHTM (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), and following medical training relocated to continue working within the climate health sector. She is one of the co-founders of Irish Doctors for Environment.
She is passionate about the opportunities a carbon zero future provides for the health of global citizens, research-driven policy and providing safe, efficient healthcare services. Most likely found up a mountain or immersed in cold water in her spare time.
Dr Sandra Green
treasurer@ide.ie
Dr Sandra Green is a Respiratory Registrar. Inspired by the Australian Doctors for the Environment she recruited a handful of like minded doctors and together they founded the organisation. She strongly believes that clinicians must be at the forefront of the discussion and action on climate change in order to advocate for patients.
On behalf of IDE, she has successfully passed motions at the IMO AGM, presented at talks and webinars and has represented the organisation on many occasions including the Planetary Health Alliance Annual Meeting in Stanford University. Working in respiratory, she has a particular interest in air quality and climate change.
Dr Marie Talty
media@ide.ie
Dr Marie Talty is a respiratory trainee based in Dublin and a proud West Clare woman. She is also a champion for the Galway National Park City project, through her previous work there.
Her interests include a just decarbonisation of Ireland’s economy, active travel, the importance of protecting our oceans and impact of air pollution and extreme weather events on health. This comes from her farming and coastal background as well as work in Ireland and abroad, seeing the effects such can have, particularly in those with chronic diseases.
Dr Eva Tallon and Dr Deirdre Ryan
media@ide.ie
Dr Eva Tallon and Dr Deirdre Ryan are medical trainees based in Beaumont Hospital and St James's Hospital, Dublin. They are lovers of nature and active travel.
They both have an interest in the impact climate change has on the incidence and severity of disease. They wish to promote a sustainable, carbon-neutral healthcare system from which future generations of healthcare service users may benefit.
Dr Garbielle Colleran
Dr Andrew Rowe
Dr Andrew Rowe is a GP trainee based in Dublin. An enthusiast for all things active, he completed a MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine in Trinty College in 2018 and a Diploma in Wilderness and Expedition Medicine in 2022. He passionately believes in active travel as a dual method of improving physical and mental wellbeing and transitioning to a more sustainable and local way of moving.
Dr Cathy Burke
Dr Cathy Burke is a consultant gynaecologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital. She is chair of the Ireland South Green Group formed one year ago, which comprises all four maternity units in the SSWHG. She is also a member of the CUH campus sustainability committee which holds Green Campus status.
IDE Working Group Chairs 2021/2022
Mr Derek Cawley
directaction@ide.ie
Mr Derek Cawley is a consultant spine surgeon working in the private sector.
He comes from a farming background in the West of Ireland. He has worked with IDE almost since its inception and is involved in policy formation and the sustainable healthcare working group.
His vision is to promote change in our culture of consumerism and transition to a carbon neutral society.
Dr Ola Løkken Nordrum
anaesthetics@ide.ie
Dr Ola Løkken Nordrum is an anaesthetics trainee and has been involved with IDE almost since the beginning.
His main interests are sustainable anaesthesiology, and educating and engaging with medical students on issues regarding planetary health, climate change and health.
He is determined to drive systems change within the health sector.
Dr Declan Mulligan
mentalhealthclimate@ide.ie
Declan graduated from UCD in 2021 an he is passionate about sustainable healthcare and sits on the medical education working group, hoping to engage the next generation of doctors on environmental issues.
Dr Sandra Green
airquality@ide.ie
Dr Sandra Green is a Respiratory Registrar. Inspired by the Australian Doctors for the Environment she recruited a handful of like minded doctors and together they founded the organisation. She strongly believes that clinicians must be at the forefront of the discussion and action on climate change in order to advocate for patients.
On behalf of IDE, she has successfully passed motions at the IMO AGM, presented at talks and webinars and has represented the organisation on many occasions including the Planetary Health Alliance Annual Meeting in Stanford University. Working in respiratory, she has a particular interest in air quality and climate change.
Dr Áine Varley
research@ide.ie
Dr. Áine Varley completed her Basic Specialist Training in General Internal Medicine in 2018. She holds a Masters in Health Economics from the National University of Ireland Galway, and currently works in the area of health technology assessment.
Áine is passionate about evidence-based health and climate policy, and considering how uncertainty in these research areas is characterized, communicated and used to inform decision-making.
Dr Colm Byrne
activetransport@ide.ie
Dr Colm Byrne is a Consultant Geriatrician and General Physician in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin. A graduate of UCD, he recently completed an MD in the effects of short term air pollution on stroke incidence through RCSI. He is passionate about enabling active travel as a means of improving public health across all age groups and coupling social with environmental justice.
Dr Sadhbh Lee
medicalcurriculum@ide.ie
Dr. Sadhbh Lee is an obstetric and gynaecology registrar currently based in Dublin. She is a co-founder of IDE and has previously held the positions of policy officer and fundraising officer.
Sadhbh has a background in grassroots environmentalism and, since starting work as a doctor, has been occupied with the effect of the environment on human health. She has a particular interest in women’s health and in education.
Sadhbh is a lover of nature, particularly the ocean, and strongly believes that as clinicians, we must use our platform to preserve the planet and protect our patients.
Ms Esmeralda Pérez
medicalcurriculum@ide.ie
medicalstudents@ide.ie
Esmeralda is a 3rd year medical student at NUI Galway with a passion for the environment, youth engagement, and human rights. She has previously participated in summer courses and projects focusing on Planetary Health and One Health.
As a medical student, Esmeralda sees the need to increase learning on the impact of climate change on health in the medical curriculum. She advocates for a grassroot approach where medical students hold key positions in developing a greener medical education and health care system.
Ms Róisin Fitzgerald
sustainablehealthcare@ide.ie
Róisín is a registered associate human nutritionist with the AfN. She is also currently studying a postgraduate degree in environmental sustainability at UCD.
Róisín is passionate about evidence based nutrition, public health, wildlife conservation, planetary health and nutritional education. She has a special interest in sustainable food choices and reducing our environmental impact through dietary habits without compromising our nutrition or health. Róisín is passionate about the link between climate health and human health and about the protection and conservation of our natural world. She is a qualified scientific scuba diver and shark conservation diver which she has used in her spare time to volunteer with various wildlife and environmental conservation programs.
Eoin Butler
medicalstudents@ide.ie
Eoin is a third-year graduate entry medical student at RCSI, planning to specialise in emergency medicine. He is interested in climate change, sustainable solutions to energy and transport and campaigns to promote active travel and safe infrastructure.
