Our People

My name is Liz Hoban.  I am a Sea-Fisheries Protection Officer (SFPO) with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), based in the Howth Port Office, Co. Dublin. 

My duties include:
Conducting direct inspections of fishing vessels, processing establishments, seafood business premises and other places of fisheries and marine activity to verify compliance and to detect non-compliance with Sea-Fisheries and Seafood safety legislation. 
Taking appropriate follow-up action following these inspection activities such as writing reports, preparation of case files, inputting data of inspection activity, compilation of written statements or attending court.
Collecting samples of shellfish, fishery products and fish to sampling specification at shellfish production sites, fish processing establishments, auction halls and fishing vessels.

The variety of our job means that we are constantly learning and interested in the role. Changes in legislation and organisational procedures means that we are constantly upskilling, learning and adapting to changes in the industry or political changes e.g. Brexit.

I am based in Ros A Mhíl Port Office in County Galway and in my work as an authorised SFPO, I perform multi-faceted front-line roles related to Sea-Fisheries conservation and Seafood safety.

This work requires the regular conduct of direct inspections, on-board fishing vessels, at processing establishments, at seafood business premises and in other places of fisheries and marine activity

The inspection activities include, taking samples of fish, shellfish, and fishery products, collection of articles of evidence, taking formal statements, cross-checking and verification of surveillance data, etc. and the compilation and production of formal statements to be used in the taking of prosecution cases.

I like to think that I play a part in conserving the future stocks of fish for the future generations of fishermen in Ireland through Fisheries Control duties as well as monitoring compliance in line with Food Safety Regulations to ensure the safe consumption of fishery products.

I started working for the SFPA in Jan 2024 here in the head office in Clonakilty, Co. Cork.

I initially started as Clerical Officer in the Port Operations office and then, more recently I joined the Facilities team where I am based at our front desk, on Reception. My work is varied and no two days are ever the same.

My duties include; greeting visitors and members of the public as they arrive to the office, taking inbound calls that I then redirect around the organisation, document preparation and uploading to staff intranet, distribution of post, packages, equipment to colleagues, checking stationery supplies etc.

In addition to my day-to-day role, I am also a Fire Warden. Duties include checking fire safety equipment is in place and properly serviced, working with other Fire Wardens to co-ordinate fire drills during the year.

I really enjoy my job and I feel proud to work for in the public sector where I can serve the country and its citizens in my own small way.

As the Internal Communications Manager I am responsible for delivering effective internal communications across our 8 office locations around Ireland in an organised, efficient and timely manner.

My week is bookended by two communications priorities.  Firstly, I moderate a weekly, Monday morning all-staff virtual meeting open to all colleagues to attend and hear from senior managers. Secondly, at the end of the week I collate and issue a summary newsletter of information and news from around the organisation. 

In addition, I provide communications support to teams working on projects who are at the point of introducing that project to the wider organisation.  My role is to understand the project in order to develop a communications plan for the stakeholders concerned, focussing on what the project is, why it is being implemented and the benefit it brings to all parties concerned.

I enjoy working across multiple business units, putting a communications lens on the work they are doing in order to help them tell the story about the benefits of their work to the organisation and beyond.

Based in our Head Office in Clonakilty, my role as Shellfish Environmental Manager involves ; co-ordination of a national sanitary survey* programme to ensure compliance with EU regulations, develop and manage a shellfish stakeholder engagement network, manage shellfish stakeholders in relation the sanitary survey programme, represent the SFPA at national stakeholder events, write, review and publish sanitary surveys, policy and SFPA organisational documents.

*A sanitary survey is an assessment of pollution risks in a shellfish production area, used to identify a sampling point that accurately reflects microbiological contamination levels—helping to protect public health and ensure consumer confidence in seafood.

One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the sense of satisfaction from producing a sanitary survey that gives industry a better understanding of their water quality and how this influences their product.

As a Senior ICT Specialist at the SFPA, I contribute to the organisation’s mission by optimising its technology infrastructure and services. My primary responsibilities include:

Technical Expertise and Leadership
 - Configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting operating systems and applications
- Managing and troubleshooting network issues, ensuring optimal performance and reliability
- Implementing and enforcing security measures to protect sensitive data and systems from cyber threats.

Support and Consultation
- Providing technical support to end-users, troubleshooting issues, and resolving problems
- Advising on IT best practices and making recommendations for improvements
- Training and mentoring team members to enhance their skills and knowledge.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is knowing that my work directly contributes to the protection of Ireland’s seafood safety and sea-fisheries protection. I enjoy the challenge of implementing innovative IT solutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the SFPA.