Irene is a Lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery since 2005. Irene teaches and coordinates at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, mainly in the areas of Health Ageing and supervises on MSc/PhD dissertations. Irene has both a clinical and research background in older adults and stroke. She is also involved in a number of international and national research projects. She has been successful in attaining funding from the Health Service Executive, Health Research Board and Irish Hospice Foundation in the area of dementia. She led the development of the hydration and nutrition guidance document for dementia palliative care and led the development of a policy paper on dementia and loneliness.