Angela Kerins

Angela Kerins (née MacCarthy; born 1956) is an Irish business person and former chief executive officer of the Rehab Group.

Background Born Angela MacCarthy in Waterford, Ireland in 1958, Kerins grew up in Cashel and Tramore.

Education Kerins attended secondary school at the Presentation Convent in Cashel, and subsequently trained as a nurse at Orsett Hospital School of Nursing in Essex, United Kingdom. She then undertook postgraduate training in midwifery. As a student, Kerins campaigned to improve pay for trainee nurses.

Career At the request of her parents, Kerins returned to Ireland to work at the Meath Hospital in Dublin. She then moved to the United Arab Emirates where she worked in emergency medicine, oncology, and intensive care. Later, Kerins moved to Dhahran in Saudi Arabia, where she ran a rehabilitation centre. It was through the National Rehabilitation Board that she met Frank Flannery of The Rehab Group. Kerins was appointed chief executive of the Rehab Group in 2006. Her salary was, according to Anne Hannify head of Fundraising Ireland, "actually quite out of kilter with even what the top CEO's of charities are being paid at the moment". Kerins also cited threats to her personal safety as a factor in her resignation.

Legal action In 2016, Kerins commenced legal action against the PAC in the Irish High Court, alleging that the content and scope of the Committee's questions were inappropriate and beyond their remit. Kerins also stated that the encounter contributed to a March 2014 suicide attempt and to her later resignation from her role as CEO. Kerins lost her case, a decision which she subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court of Ireland.

On 27 February 2019, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Kerins on several issues, including that the PAC had acted outside its remit. The Court determined that the PAC had violated the legislation as a whole by departing significantly from its mandate and the terms of an invitation to Ms. Kerins, which allowed for inquiries regarding her pay and the management of three State-funded programmes by Rehab.

Awards In 2003, Kerins was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at University College Dublin.

Personal life Kerins is married to Seán Kerins, whom she met at a party at the Richmond Hospital in Dublin. They have a daughter and a son. Kerins is a former member of Fianna Fáil.