Galway Chamber will kick off its Autumn Business Lunch series by welcoming guest speaker John O'Shea of GOAL to its lunch on Tuesday 30 September at 12.30pm in the Clayton Hotel, Galway. The event is sponsored by National Irish Bank.

John O'Shea, sports reporter and humanitarian, was born in Limerick in 1944 and spent his formative years in Charleville and Westport. For 24 years he worked as a sports reporter with the Irish Press Group and in 1977 he established GOAL as a humanitarian organisation dedicated to helping the poorest of the poor in the developing world. From its first year of operation in 1977 GOAL has grown to spend over €500 million implementing relief and development programmes in 50 countries in the past 30 years. GOAL currently employs approximately 145 GOALies who work alongside over 2,800 local staff to implement humanitarian programmes in 11 countries across Africa, Asia and South America.

John O'Shea's list of achievements and awards include: the People of the Year 1987 and 1992, The Ballygowan Outstanding Achievement Award 1988, MIR Award 1992, Late Late Show Tribute 1995, Texaco Outstanding Achievement Award 1995 and the Tipperary International Peace Award 2004, Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2005. Mr O'Shea was conferred with an honorary doctorate by Notre Dame University in May of this year and was the only non-US native to receive the honour.

According to O'Shea himself, "GOAL appreciates that many companies have done much to improve the relationship between the corporate and charity worlds through their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, and we are very fortunate to receive support from them.

"Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) means in practical terms to GOAL that a corporate body or business would provide GOAL with support by either offering financial support for our programmes overseas or by providing GOAL with professional and experienced personnel on secondment from their organisation either to work on home based or overseas programmes.

"At different times GOAL may have different needs, or priorities in terms of what support we would like to have from the business fraternity. However, what is always a priority for us is suitably qualified and experienced personnel and we encourage this as a method of CSR wherever possible. It is not only a huge cost saving to the organisation and a meaningful way of keeping administration costs at exceptionally low levels, but it is also important for GOAL to bring this level of expertise and entrepreneurship to programmes that may not traditionally attract such personnel."

At the Galway Chamber Business Lunch, John O'Shea will speak on his experiences, his organization and what CSR means in practical terms.

National Irish Bank was re-launched in April 2006 under its new parent - Danske Group.

For further information and to book for this event contact Elaine at Galway Chamber on 091-535028.

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