Declan Fitzpatrick
Chief Executive
Declan Fitzpatrick was appointed Chief Executive for the Irish Aviation Authority in April, 2023. Declan has worked with the IAA aviation regulator since 2006, holding various management positions and regulatory roles. Declan has 30 year’s experience in the aviation industry with previous roles in airline, maintenance, continued airworthiness and design organisations. He has also served as an Commissioner on the Air Navigation Commission of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) based in their headquarters in Montreal, leading the development of the global standards and recommended practices for civil aviation.
Declan holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Dublin City University, a Master Science in Managing Risk and System Change from Trinity College Dublin and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Trinity College Dublin.
James Gavin
Chief Operations Officer
Jim Gavin is the Chief Operations Officer of the Irish Aviation Authority. A holder of an Airline Transport Pilots License, Jim joined the Irish aviation regulator in 2011 as a Flight Operations Inspector (Airlines Standards) with his last Type Rating on the Airbus A320 family of aircraft. Since then Jim has held various management positions and regulatory roles across flight operations, airworthiness, air traffic management/air navigation services, airspace, unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and aviation security. Jim has 30 years of experience in the aviation industry and is a former Commission Officer and military pilot with 20 years of service in Óglaigh na hÉireann | The Irish Defence Forces.
Jim was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) from Dublin City University and holds a BSc (Hons) in Management and Aeronautical Studies (with 1st Class Honours) and a Diploma in Management from Dublin Institute of Technology, a Diploma in Finance from City Colleges Ireland and a Diploma in Leadership from National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Jim was also awarded the Freedom of Dublin City by the Dublin City Council.
Josephine O'Reilly
Chief Financial Officer
Josephine O’Reilly is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in Ireland. She joined the Commission for Aviation Regulation as Financial Accountant in 2001 and has over 17 years of experience managing financial operations within State Bodies. She was appointed as Director of Finance of the IAA in 2021.
David Hodnett
Company Secretary
Dr. Adrian Corcoran
Director of Economic Regulation, Licensing and Consumer Affairs
Brian Higgins
Director of Human Resources, Facilities & Environment
Brian Higgins was appointed Director of Human Resources, Facilities & Environment for the Irish Aviation Authority on 1st May 2023 having held the position as Director of Corporate Services in the Commission for Aviation Regulation prior to its merger with the IAA.
He is responsible for the HR, Facilities & Environment Directorate.
Brian has 35 years’ experience across the public and private sector in both HR and Operational roles across health, manufacturing, finance, and the aviation sectors.
Brian is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development and holds a BA in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management from the NCI, and Diplomas in Organisational Behaviour from the IMI/UCC and Public Sector Corporate Governance from IPA.
Frank Tone
Director of Strategy, Regulatory Performance and Innovation
Frank Tone was appointed Director of Strategy, Regulatory Performance, and Innovation for the Irish Aviation Authority in November 2023. Frank is a graduate engineer (BE) from University College Dublin and has 38 years’ experience working in aviation. He has held technical and managerial roles in organisations involved in civil aircraft operations, maintenance, and equipment supply, and has military aviation experience as a former Commissioned Officer (Aeronautical Engineer) of the Irish Air Corps.
Frank joined the Irish Aviation Authority in 1999 and performed roles in regulatory oversight in airworthiness domain before taking up a role in Safety Management in 2012. He has served in expert capacity as Irish representative on related ICAO and EASA advisory bodies and panels.