Department for Communities
Mark O'Hara is a Principal Work Psychologist at the Department for Communities since January 2020. Prior to that, Mark worked as a Senior Occupational Psychologist at the Department for Employment and Learning NI. Mark manages a team of Occupational Psychologists and is involved in informing policy and strategy for the Department's disability services. Mark previously worked as an Occupational Psychologist at the Department for Work and Pensions in Great Britain from 1996 to 2001. Mark holds an M.Sc in Occupational Psychology from Queen's University Belfast and a BA Hons in Psychology from Queens University of Belfast.
Department for Communities
In May 2016 the Department for Communities was established following the restructuring of Northern Ireland Departments. It is the largest of the nine NICS Departments and work with 15 Arm's Length Bodies and number of Advisory Groups. Around 8,800 people are employed by the Department, accounting for one third of NICS employees. It has an annual budget of almost £7 billion, including expenditure of £5.9 billion on social security and pension payments