Dónall Geoghegan joins The Wheel as Director of Policy and Advocacy
Dónall Geoghegan has been appointed as The Wheel's new Director of Policy and Advocacy. Dónall is an accomplished senior leader with extensive experience in the community and voluntary sector, as well as at the highest levels of government.
Until last year, he served as Joint Chief of Staff for the Green Party in the 2020–2025 Government, driving implementation of the Programme for Government, acting as a ‘troubleshooter’ on critical issues, and managing the party’s political strategy and relations with coalition partners. He worked closely with ministers, legislators and advisors, and contributed significantly to the formulation of legislation, policy and budgets, such as the Climate and Nature Fund. Before this, he worked in a similar position for Independent ministers in the 2016–2020 Government, as well as for the Green Party in government from 2007 to 2011. This followed directly from his work as General Secretary for the party for the previous two years.
His work in the political field was interspersed with, and preceded by, senior positions in management and public affairs in the community and voluntary sector, including with Early Childhood Ireland and Greenpeace Europe. He also managed national community engagement projects for The Wheel, targeting the hardest-to-reach for the Digital Switchover and the introduction of Eircodes. He served as Assistant Director with the National Youth Council of Ireland, representing the youth sector to government, in social partnership and at EU level. This was built on a solid grounding in youth work, having established and managed a local youth service in Ballymun with Foróige, and having served as a teacher and as a voluntary leader in scouting and youth clubs.
The Wheel's Director of Public Policy & Advocacy provides strategic leadership and direction across the organisation’s work, with a particular focus on public policy, campaigns and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including members and policymakers, influencing change at both national and local levels.
We warmly welcome Dónall to the team and wish him every success in his new role.