DAVID BEGG – BIOGRAPHIC DETAILS
David Begg officially took up the position of General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on 3 September, 2001.
Since then he has addressed a number of conferences and seminars drawing on his social, economic, and humanitarian experiences. He has written extensively about issues pertaining to social and economic issues relating to Ireland, Europe and internationally. Copies of articles written by David Begg are available on the Congress website:
www.ictu.ie
Until 31 August, 2001 he was Chief Executive of Ireland's largest Charity - Concern Worldwide. Prior to joining Concern he served for ten years as a Trustee of the Catholic Agency, Trocaire.
Working to a strategic plan prepared in late 1997 David Begg expanded the operations of Concern significantly. The agency doubled the number of countries of operation under his guidance and has doubled its annual budget to over £43 million. While Chief Executive of Concern, David Begg raised the profile of Concern and the problems facing developing countries through his extensive writings on both the national and international stage.
Before joining Concern David Begg was General Secretary of the Communication Workers’ Union. He was a member of the Executive Council of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions from 1986 to 1997. In that capacity he was part of the Trade Union team, which negotiated three social contract type agreements with government and employers, which started with the Programme for National Recovery in 1987. He also served for two terms as Vice-President of the European Committee of the Postal, Telephone and Telegraph International (PTTI). He was a board member of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) from 1995 to 1997.
David Begg is an Executive Member of the European Trade Union Conference (ETUC) and attends regularly at their meetings in Brussels.
David Begg was appointed a Director of the Irish Central Bank. in 1995 and was re-appointed for a further five-year term in 2001. He is Chairperson of the Bank’s internal Audit Committee. He was appointed to the Central Bank & Financial Services Authority in May, 2003 for a term of 5 years.
David Begg is a Trustee of the Irish Times Trust, member of the Advisory Board on Ireland Aid, Chairperson of the Advisory Group to the Select Committee on European Affairs, member of the Heart Health Task Force and a member of the Office for Health Management Expert Advisory Group. David is also chairperson of the Democracy Commission.
David Begg studied electrical engineering in Kevin Street College of Technology and qualified in 1971. He worked as a technologist in the Irish Electricity Board until 1979.
David Begg is married to Máire and they have three children. His interests are reading, theatre, cinema and all things equine, particularly National Hunt racing. He rides out regularly.