Michelle Tanner, Head of Sport and Recreation at Trinity College Dublin has been appointed to the board of Sport Ireland by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin. As Head of Sport and Recreation in Trinity College Dublin, Michelle’s work includes strategic development, profile, management, staffing, resourcing & promotion of sport, infrastructural projects, representation, stakeholder engagement & planning. She has responsibility for a portfolio of 67 acres of outdoor sports & 13,000sqm of indoor sports facilities. She has led on projects from inception to completion at various scales, including the acquisition, design, and development of key sporting facilities at Trinity College. 

Michelle is an active Board and committee member, holding officer positions within Student Sport Ireland (SSI) spanning a sixteen-year period and has been involved in Volleyball Ireland in an advisory capacity. She is a current member of the World University Sports Federation (FISU) Gender Equality Working Group and she was the first Irish and first female President of the European Network of Academic Sports Services (ENAS). She has been a member of three European Union (EU) Expert Groups, executing the EU Work Plan for Sport, and has attended and presented at many of the annual EU Sports Forums and related events. She has a recent post graduate qualification in Governance and holds an MBA in Sports Management. Michelle is a former international volleyball player with the Irish Senior Team.

Commenting on her appointment, Michelle said, “It is a great honour and privilege to be appointed to the board of Sport Ireland. Sport Ireland’s role in supporting the sport sector and leading the development of sport has never been more crucial than at this present time. I am looking forward to working with the board of Sport Ireland and Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin and Minister of State for Sport, Jack Chambers on the policy, planning and development of sport in Ireland.”

Matthew Dossett, President of Student Sport Ireland and Deputy Head of Sport and Recreation, Trinity College Dublin commented: “Trinity Sport are immensely proud of our colleague Michelle on her appointment to the board of Sport Ireland. Michelle is a tremendously supportive and trusted colleague and with all her experience, knowledge, and passion I have no doubt she will be a great addition to the board of Sport Ireland. Michelle’s addition will ensure student sport will be at the forefront of planning and development at the top level in Irish sport. I wish her the very best in this new role.”

Minister Martin said: “I am delighted to appoint these four new members to the Board of Sport Ireland. They have all demonstrated that they possess skills and expertise which will greatly benefit the work of Sport Ireland in supporting and developing Irish Sport. I wish them well in their roles.”

Minister Chambers said: “This is an important time for the sport sector as we continue to see a return to sporting activity following what has been a very challenging period. I believe that each of the four new members will make a valuable contribution to the board in its work to ensure that we retain a strong and vibrant sector as we emerge from the pandemic. I wish each of the new members well in their future work for Irish Sport.”

The team at Trinity Sport would like to extend a massive congratulations to Michelle on her appointment to the board of Sport Ireland. Sport Ireland is the authority tasked with the development of sport in Ireland. This includes participation in sport, high performance sport, anti-doping, coaching and the development of the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus. For more information visit About Sport Ireland | Sport Ireland .