A Laois man has secured a top job in Limerick County Council.
Alan Dooley, who is originally from Mountrath and whose family previously owned Dooley Motors on the Portlaoise Road out of the town for years, has been appointed as the new Head of Digital Strategy in the local authority.
Mr Dooley will drive the implementation of the Smart Limerick strategy, coordinating EU projects, support the broadband rollout and the development of the Council’s digital plans.
Although from Mountrath and a past pupil of Ballyfin College, Alan has lived in Limerick since 1993 after moving west to study in University of Limerick.
He has almost 25 years’ experience in the IT industry, spending most of the last two decades leading global software engineering teams from the USA, to Ireland, to India and the Philippines for Pramerica Ireland, as subsidiary of Prudential Financial, a Fortune 50 company and subsequently Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) via a company acquisition.
A keen cyclist, Alan has participated in six Tour de Munster’s, raising funds for Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland.
Some of his other passions include playing the traditional Irish flute and singing and he has performed with the Voices of Limerick and the Munster Rugby Supporters Club Choir.
Speaking about his appointment on the Limerick County Council website, Alan said he is excited to get started and hopes to bring his experience of remote learning to the table.
He said: “I am very excited about joining the Smart Limerick team.
“I truly believe that Limerick is a city and region that can soar over the coming years – economically, culturally, with climate change, the services it provides to the community and much, much more.
“The fact that Limerick is a smart, sustainable region and that it strives to leave nobody behind, is a big attraction for me.
“I am acutely aware of the myriad of challenges remote working brings at a personal level.
“The isolation can be difficult, impacting on your mental health, balancing home schooling, your work life and your personal life.
“Delivering services like broadband, which is intrinsic to our day-to-day life, to better enable remote working, is something I really look forward to.”
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