John O’Connor

John O’Connor joined Respond Board of Directors in December 2016 and was appointed chairman with effect from 1st January 2017. John is also Chairperson of the Board of EirGrid, the electricity transmission market operator for the island of Ireland. He served as Chairman of the Pyrite Resolution Board from 2013 to 2016. From 2000 to 2011, he was the Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála, the independent national tribunal for the determination of planning appeals and strategic infrastructure projects. Prior to that, he served for 35 years as a civil servant in the Department of the Environment where he occupied senior positions as Finance Officer, Principal Housing Policy and Finance and Assistant Secretary in charge of the Planning and Water Services Division. He has also served as director of three commercial State Bodies: the Housing Finance Agency, Temple Bar Properties and the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. He holds a Diploma in Public Administration from UCD.