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AboutUs - Who's Who - Regional Planning and Transportation

Barney McGahan

Deputy Secretary - Regional Planning and Transportation

Barney is Deputy Secretary for Regional Planning and Transportation of the Department for Regional Development.

Barney has had a wide range of posts within the Northern Ireland Civil Service since entering as a clerical officer in 1976. He joined the Department for Social Development when it was created in 1999: 5 years in the Social Security Agency as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Working Age Services (formerly know as Director of Operations); almost 3 years as Chief Executive of the NI Child Support Agency and about 4 and a half years as the Department’s Deputy Secretary with responsibility for Resources (finance & staffing), Housing, and Social Security Policy & Legislation.

Brian White

Director - Ports and Public Transport Division

Brian is the Director of the Department's Ports and Public Transport Division with responsibility for the discharge of statutory and other duties in respect of public transport in Northern Ireland. The Division’s role also includes providing financial and administrative support to help ensure the delivery of transport policy in Northern Ireland. He is also responsible for policy and legislation for Northern Ireland’s air and sea ports.

Tom Reid

Director - Transportation Policy Division and Temporary Director - Strategic Policy and Co-ordination Division

Tom is Director of Transportation Policy Division tasked with developing policies in emerging areas of transport, with a particular focus on sustainability.  He also has responsibility for the Travelwise unit.

Tom is temporarily Director of the Strategic Policy and Co-ordination Division as well as his own directorship of Transport Policy Division.

This Division is responsible for the development and implementation of the Regional Development Strategy and Regional Transportation Strategy, Accessible Transport policy and co-ordination of the Executive's policy for Rathlin Island.

It also includes the Group Corporate Support Office which provides a co-ordination service to the other Divisions within the Regional Planning and Transportation Group.

Ciarán de Búrca

Director - Rapid Transit Division

Ciarán is the Director of the Rapid Transit Division.  He is a Chartered Engineer and a fellow of Engineers Ireland.  Prior to this he was Project Manager for the Quality Bus Network Office in Dublin City Council.

Rapid Transit will provide Belfast with a fast, reliable and modern public transport service, with the first phase of the system potentially attracting over 5.5 million passengers per year.  The system will provide a step change in the quality of public transport in Belfast, and together with other Departmental initiatives, will provide a sustainable transport system which will encourage people out of their cars into public transport, thereby helping to reduce congestion and emissions.

Ciaran Doran

Director - Financial Operations and Transportation Division

Ciaran is the Director of Core Department's Financial Operations and Transportation Division.