Michael comes from a farming background in County Meath and holds a diploma in Agriculture.

He graduated with an Honours degree in Veterinary medicine from UCD. He was awarded a PhD from Edinburgh University on fundamental cellular metabolism.
After spending six years in mixed Veterinary Practice he joined the Virology Division of the Central Veterinary Laboratory at Abbotstown, Dublin 15. While in the Division he developed a range of techniques for the rapid diagnosis of virus diseases in animals. Such developments improved understanding of the agents associated with respiratory disease in animals in Ireland. He also instigated the development of the first DNA based tests for virus infections including for BHV1 in animals in Ireland and was involved in the diagnosis and control of the largest outbreaks of IBR on farms in Ireland. He became Deputy Director of the Veterinary Laboratory Service and subsequently Director of all the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine Laboratories.

He was a member of the EU Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare, and later a member of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare. He was involved in preparing a number of reports on Animal Health and Welfare matters for the European Commission and chaired the working group of European experts that produced the report on the definition of BHV1 freedom.

He is a fellow of the Society of Biology and has recently been appointed to the Minister for Agriculture Food and Marine’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare.

Michael believes that the work of Animal Health Ireland is fundamental to improving the welfare of farm animals and the competitiveness of farming in Ireland.

Director DAFM Laboratories (Retired)