Denis O’Driscoll re-appointed as PSI President
At its meeting on Thursday, 25 June 2026, the Council of the PSI – The Pharmacy Regulator, re-elected Dr. Denis O’Driscoll as President for a second term. Emily Kelly was elected as Vice-President. The President and Vice-President are elected from amongst the Council for a one-year term and may hold office for up to two years, in accordance with the Pharmacy Act 2007.
Dr. Denis O’Driscoll was appointed to the PSI Council in 2023, and he has served as the PSI President for one year (2025-2026), and previously as Vice-President. He is a pharmacist with many years of experience working across a variety of pharmacy practice settings, notably as Chief Pharmacist with the HSE’s Addiction Services for over twenty years. Since 2018, he is the Superintendent Pharmacist for the McCabe’s Pharmacy group. He is also the voluntary independent chair of the Naloxone Advisory Group for the HSE Strategy on Overdose Prevention and lectures on pharmacy and public health programmes at Trinity College Dublin.
Speaking following his re-appointment, Dr. Denis O’Driscoll said:
“I welcome the opportunity to serve again as President and contribute to the PSI’s work. I want to recognise the commitment and engagement of Council members as we advance our mission to assure patient safety and public trust in pharmacy through effective regulation. The PSI’s remit is broad, and the work of the Council is fundamentally important within the wider health and regulatory system. As policy developments continue to shape the evolving role of pharmacy, the PSI remains focused on supporting change with a clear commitment to patient benefit and safety, and effective regulatory oversight.”
Emily Kelly is the new Vice-President of the PSI. Emily was first appointed to the PSI Council in 2023, and she is chair of the PSI’s Audit and Risk Committee. She is a qualified pharmacist with senior management and board-level experience across Ireland, Italy, and Belgium. She currently serves on the board of Life Pharmacy and practices as a community pharmacist.
The Minister for Health also confirmed the re-appointments this June of Dr. Paula Barry Walsh, Peter Dennehy and Dr. Ann McGarry to the Council for second terms. Council members are appointed for a four-year term.
The PSI is governed by a 21-member Council (the board), with a non-pharmacist majority. Council members are appointed by the Minister for Health in accordance with the Pharmacy Act 2007. The Council meets at least six times each year and is responsible for setting the strategy for the PSI and overseeing the functions of the PSI in the public interest. Information about its public meetings is made available on the PSI website.
