What We Do

Our large multi-disciplinary team of experienced professionals have the necessary skills and expertise to successfully manage the most complex of projects. Our clients are the focus of everything we do. We respond promptly to their ever-changing needs by delivering a cost-effective, dynamic and quality–driven service, on time and within budget. We provide a wide range of services to both public and private sector clients. Our public-sector experience spans projects completed on behalf of Government Departments, Local Authorities and State Agencies.

Our services to private sector clients cross a wide range of industries, including: energy, construction, transport, tourism, commercial and residential development, education, healthcare, waste management and leisure.

Our Values

Values are the fundamental guiding principles for what MKO does, and how we do it.

Quality

Fit for purpose

Flexibility

Find ways to get the job done

Teamwork

Trust and support each other to deliver

Confidence

‘Can Do’ attitude

Integrity

Do the right thing

Who We Are

MKO is a company of just over 55 staff comprising a number of departments including Planning, Environment, Ecology, Ornithology, Estates & Project Management and Finance & Administration. We are a long-established business based in Galway city with staff nationwide and are renowned in our field of expertise.

Brian Keville

Brian Keville is the Environmental Director of MKO with 17 years’ professional consultancy experience as a project director, project manager and lead coordinator of environmental impact assessments for large-scale infrastructure projects.

Brian Keville
Environmental Director

Gus McCarthy

Augustine (Gus) McCarthy is a Company Director with MKO and is a professional planner with in excess of 35 years of experience in both private practice and local authorities combined. He is retained as planning advisor for development programmes of large organisations and has been the lead planning consultant a wide range of infrastructure, energy, commercial and other projects throughout the Country.

Gus McCarthy
Planning Director

Michael Watson

Michael delivers project strategy advice for varied projects, project management and liaising with the relevant local authorities, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and statutory consultees as well as coordinating project teams.

Michael Watson
Project Director
Environmental Team

Colm Ryan

Colm holds specialist expertise in large scale renewable energy developments, management of community and developers interests through the planning process, and post or pre-planning due diligence.

Colm Ryan
Project Director
Planning Team

Pat Roberts

Pat is highly experienced in the completion of ecological baseline surveys and impact assessment at the planning stage and has extensive experience of providing ecological consultancy on large scale industrial and civil engineering projects.

Pat Roberts
Project Director
Ecology Team

Dervla O’Dowd

Dervla is responsible for coordinating the ornithological surveys required on major infrastructural projects, with emphasis on wind energy projects and has extensive experience in project management and ecological assessment.

Dervla O’Dowd
Project Director
Ornithology Team

Regina Madden

Regina Madden is a qualified chartered accountant with over 8 years’ experience in the SME sector. Regina coordinates both finance and general operations in MKO to include ISO, Health and Safety and training.

Regina Madden
Finance & Operations Manager

Noel Stapleton

Noel Stapleton is Estates & Project Management Director with MKO, with over 20 years of Project Management experience. Noel is highly experienced with specialist knowledge and experience in Feasibility / Development Appraisal consulting, public procurement, delivery of large or complex construction projects within Capital Works Management Framework structures, programme management, master planning, and stakeholder engagement.

Noel Stapleton
Project Director
Estates & Project Management Team

Aisling Finnegan

Aisling Finnegan is the Administrative Manager with MKO. with 10 years of private sector administrative and management experience. Aisling’s key strengths and expertise are tender application coordination, financial reporting, credit control, ISO Document Control, and general administration.

Aisling Finnegan
Administration Manager

Alan Bannon

Alan Bannon
Planner

Andrew O'Donoghue

Andrew O’Donoghue is an Ornithologist with MKO. Andrew holds BSc (Hons) in Zoology from University College Dublin. Prior to taking up his position with MKO in January 2017, Andrew worked as a Sub contract bird surveyor for Scott Cawley Ltd. Prior to this he completed a field research internship with the University of Saskatchewan in Canada and worked with Birdwatch Ireland as a Warden on a Seabird conservation project. Andrew’s key strengths and areas of expertise are in bird surveying techniques, species identification and data management.

Andrew O’Donoghue
Ornithologist

Aoife Crowe

Aoife Crowe
Graduate Ornithologist

Celine Hughes

Celine Hughes
Office Administrator

Ciara McGuinness

Ciara McGuiness is a Planner with McCarthy Keville O’Sullivan Ltd. with over 3 years of experience in both private practice and local authorities. Ciara took up her position with McCarthy Keville O’Sullivan in October 2016. Ciara’s key strengths and expertise are Project Management, Development Management and Masterplanning, Environmental Impact Assessments and Collaborative Planning.

Ciara McGuinness
Planner

Clíodhna Bourke

Clíodhna Bourke
Planner

David McNicholas

David works on all phases of wind farm development from feasibility/ scoping, ecological surveys, preparing EIS chapters, construction phase monitoring, Ecological Clerk of Works during construction, and post-construction ecological monitoring.

David McNicholas
Senior Ecologist

David Naughton

David is an Ornithologist with MKO. and has been a valuable member of the team since joining in March 2017. David graduated with an honours B.Sc. Degree in Environmental Science from NUIG in 2016. David has a wide range of ecological experience including vegetation surveys, terrestrial invertebrate surveys, freshwater invertebrate surveys, river surveys for salmonids and other fish species, small mammal surveys and habitat identification. David is experienced in GIS software systems for use in interpreting ecological data. David has experience in report writing and received a first class in his final year thesis during his undergraduate course. David has also been involved in the management and preparation of datasets for multiple projects.

David Naughton
Ecologist

Ella O'Brien

Ella O’Brien is a Graduate Planner with MKO having joined the company in September 2018. She has experience in the public sector having worked as a planning officer with St. Albans City and District Council in Hertfordshire, U.K. Her past role has given her a wide range of experience in different areas of the planning system both in Forward Planning and Developement Management. She holds a BA (Hons) Degree in Geography and English and a Masters Degree in Planning and Sustainable Development from University College Cork. She is currently a Licentiate member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Ella O’Brien
Planner

Eoin Gilson

Eoin is a Graduate Environmental Scientist with MKO. who took up his position in October 2018. Eoin holds a BSc (Hons) in Microbiology and a MSc (Hons) in Applied Environmental Science. Eoin has specialist knowledge in environmental field surveys, data analysis and renewable energy systems. Eoin’s key strengths and areas of expertise are in data management, report writing and environmental monitoring and management. On joining MKO Eoin has been involved on a range of renewable energy infrastructure projects, working as part of a large multi-disciplinary team to produce EIA Reports.

Eoin Gilson
Environmental Scientist

Eoin McCarthy

Eoin works mainly project managing wind energy projects, wind energy site selection and feasibility assessment, environmental impact assessment, tourism, waste licencing, and flood relief schemes.

Eoin McCarthy
Senior Environmental Scientist

Eoin O'Sullivan

Eoin O’Sullivan is employed as a Senior Environmental Consultant with MKO. Eoin has ten years’ experience working in the fields of environmental and human health risk assessment, waste management, waste policy and permitting. Eoin has wide experience in the project management of large scale brownfield developments which includes all aspects of geo-environmental and geotechnical investigation. Eoin joined MKO in July 2017.

Eoin O’Sullivan
Senior Environmental Scientist

Ian Hynes

Ian Hynes is a Graduate Ecologist with MKO. Ian Graduated with an Honors Degree in Environmental Science from National University of Ireland, Galway in 2017 and joined the Ornithology team in December of the same year. Ian has a broad knowledge of ecology ranging from invertebrate sampling and identification, habitat classification and vegetation surveys. Ian has over two years of experience in using GIS software. Ian also gained experience in report writing through his final year thesis.

Ian Hynes
Ecologist

James Newell

James works on photomontage development, drawing, design, ZTV mapping & shadow flicker analysis for the wind & solar energy sector and design production of reports illustrating their visual impacts.

James Newell
CAD & Graphics Technician

James Owens

James Owens is an Ecologist at MKO. James holds an ordinary degree in Forest Management from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, a honours degree in Environmental Science from the University of Ulster and Masters in Plant Ecology from NUI Galway. James has over 4 years’ experience in private practice where he has worked as both an ecological sub-consultant and in the private forestry sector. James’ main area of expertise are in vegetation surveys, Annex I habitat assessments, tree surveys, habitat mapping, bat surveys, terrestrial mammal surveys, Appropriate Assessment Screening, Natura Impact Statements and Ecological Impact Assessments. James is a member of the Botancial Society of Britain and Ireland.

James Owens
Ecologist

Jimmy Green

Jimmy leads significant and complex development proposals through the planning process. Jimmy has significant experience in dealing with Strategic Infrastructure Development proposals and bringing them through the planning process directly with An Bord Pleanála.

Jimmy Green
Senior Planner

Joanna Mole

With over 15 years of experience working internationally, Joanna has specialist knowledge in conducting Landscape and Visual Impact assessments for projects ranging from individual houses to large windfarms, cycle route design and landscape contract management.

Joanna Mole
Chartered Landscape Architect

Joe Kelly

With a degree in Wildlife Biology and Environmental science and recently qualified with a Diploma in Management & QA Engineering. Joe is a hard-working mature individual with experience across a variety of sectors both public and private. Joe is a lifelong birdwatcher with excellent bird identification skills and a wide range of bird survey experience. Flexible & reliable Joe works well as part of a team or as an individual.

Joe Kelly
Ornithologist

John Hehir

John Hehir is an Ornithologist with MKO. With over 5 years of experience working on a number of conservation projects in Ireland. John took up his position with MKO in November 2016. John’s key strengths include ornithology, bird identification, surveying, data management and report writing.

John Hehir
Ornithologist

John Hynes

John manages a significant range of energy infrastructure, commercial, national roads and private/public development projects, and has specialist knowledge in Flora and Fauna field surveys, GIS and impact assessment.

John Hynes
Senior Ecologist

Dr John Staunton

John works on a range of energy infrastructure projects, hydrological and ecological monitoring, report writing of Environmental Reports, Environmental Impact Statements/Environmental Impact Assessment Reports & Strategic Environmental Assessments and conducts research.

Dr. John Staunton
Project Environmental Scientist

Joseph O'Brien

Joseph O Brien holds the position of CAD Technician with MKO. Since joining the company in June 2016. Prior to joining MKO, Joseph worked as a free-lance Modelmaker and CAD Technician. His previous experience included designing various models and props through CAD and then made them for various conventions such as Dublin Comic Con and Arcade Con.

Joseph O’Brien
CAD Technician

Julie O'Sullivan

Julie is an Ecologist with MKO. Julie took up her position in July 2016. Within MKO Julie is responsible for independently carrying out and planning field surveys. Since joining MKO Julie has worked on several renewable energy developments, utilising a broad range of bird survey methodologies including vantage point surveys, breeding raptor, adapted brown & shepherd and waterfowl distribution surveys.

Julie O’Sullivan
Ecologist

Kathryn Blade

Kathryn Blade is a Landscape Architect with MKO. with 2 years’ experience within private practice. Kathryn took up her position with MKO in July 2018. Kathryn’s key strengths and expertise are Public Realm Design, Leisure and Residential Development, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments and Landscape Masterplanning and Management.

Kathryn Blade
Landscape Architect

Laoise Kelly

Laoise is a Project Ecologist with MKO with over 5 years of experience in both private practice and local authorities. Since joining MKO Laoise has been overseeing project management of invasive species surveys and management plans as well as carrying out site supervision of large scale projects in the form of Ecological Clerk of Works. Within MKO Laoise plays a large role in carrying out Stage 1 and Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment Reports and contributing to Environmental Impact Statements. Laoise has been involved with a number of projects nationwide and holds membership with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management as well as Bat Conservation Ireland and the Irish Wildlife Trust.

Laoise Kelly
Ecologist

Lorraine Meehan

Lorraine produces and coordinates final project outputs, including Environmental Impact Statements/Environmental Impact Assessment Reports, Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Reports, and Constraints & Feasibility and Site Selection Studies.

Lorraine Meehan
Senior Environmental Scientist

Madeline Larkin

Madeline has a wealth of experience in project management and contract administration of large scale mixed use projects. With project experience both at home and in the UK, Madeline has a proven track record of working with multi-disciplinary project teams

Madeline Larkin
Senior Project Manager

Meabhann Crowe

Meabhann’s 10 years of experience in the private sector has covered a broad range of sectors including renewable, residential, mixed-use and commercial.

Meabhann Crowe
Project Planner

Órla Murphy

Órla Murphy is an Environmental Scientist with MKO. with nearly 2 years of experience in private consultancy. Órla took up her position with McCarthy Keville O’ Sullivan in January 2018. Órla’s key strengths and expertise are Environmental Protection and Management, Environmental Impact Statements, Project Management, Renewable Energy and Peatland Management.

Órla Murphy
Environmental Scientist

Owen Cahill

Owen is a Project Manager on a range of energy infrastructure, commercial, residential, waste facility and quarry projects as well as managing the licensing requirements of a number of EPA licensed facilities.

Owen Cahill
Project Environmental Engineer

Pamela Harty

Pamela specialises in strategic planning, regeneration, development consultancy, statutory plan preparation, urban design and master-planning, and works mainly on solar energy infrastructure, commercial, student housing and residential Strategic Housing Developments.

Pamela Harty
Project Planner

Patrick Hehir

Patrick Hehir is an Environmental Scientist with MKO. with over 10 years of experience in private practice. Patrick holds BSc (Hons) degree in Construction Management and a Masters in Environmental Science. Patrick took up his position with MKO in January 2016. Patrick’s key strengths and areas of expertise are in project management, hydrology, waste management, environmental auditing, site and construction supervision, water quality monitoring and renewable energies.

Patrick Hehir
Project Environmental Scientist

Patrick Manley

An experienced Ornithologist, Patricks’ key strengths and areas of expertise are in bird surveying and data management. Patrick has undertaken a wide variety of bird surveys for wind farms, solar farms and the NPWS.

Patrick Manley
Ornithologist

Paul Sweeney

Paul Sweeney is a Graduate Planner at MKO, Planning & Environmental Consultants. Paul holds a BA (Hons) in Geography and English as well as a Masters in Planning and Sustainable Development from University College Cork where he graduated in 2017. Since joining MKO, Paul has developed experience in a range of sectors through various projects and planning issues with a current focus within the Environmental and Energy sector.

Paul Sweeney
Planner

Sarah Mullen

Sarah Mullen is an Ecologist with MKO. with 3 years of experience in consultancy. Sarah holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Botany, an M.Sc. in Biodiversity and Conservation and a Ph.D. in Botany. Sarah has experience in conducting multidisciplinary ecological surveys and plays a large role in preparing Ecological Impact Assessment reports and Stage 1 and Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment reports. Sarah holds membership with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.

Sarah Mullen
Ecologist

Sean McCarthy

Sean works as a Planning Consultant on a range of energy infrastructure, commercial, housing, retail and residential projects, and project manages solar energy planning applications.

Sean McCarthy
Project Planner

Stephen Corrigan

Stephen is an Environmental Scientist with MKO. He completed his primary degree in Environmental Science at the National University of Ireland Galway in 2016. Stephen has varied field survey skills, including winter waterfowl counts, bat survey, small mammal survey, terrestrial invertebrate, freshwater macroinvertebrate sampling, vegetation relevés of vascular plants and habitat identification. Stephen is trained in the ecological applications of GIS and MapInfo programmes used in the analysis and interpretation of ecological data.

Stephen Corrigan
Environmental Scientist

Tom Ryan

Tom is involved as an Ornithologist on several wind energy developments, utilising a broad range of bird survey methodologies including breeding raptor, adapted brown & shepard and waterfowl distribution.

Tom Ryan
Ornithologist

Dr. Úna Nealon

A skilled general ecologist, Úna specialises in bat ecology, with responsibility for managing bat survey requirements for wind and solar energy planning applications, commercial, residential and infrastructure projects.

Dr. Úna Nealon
Project Ecologist

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