Maev-Ann Wren facts for kids

Maev-Ann Wren is an Irish expert who has worked as an economist, journalist, and author. She used to be the economics editor for The Irish Times newspaper. She also advised a government minister, Roisin Shortall. Maev-Ann is known for her work on Ireland's health system. Her ideas have often been discussed by politicians in the Irish parliament, called the Dáil and Seanad. She has been called "a recognised expert on health care" by the Seanad.

Early Life and Education

Maev-Ann Wren grew up in Rathmines, a part of Dublin. She went to University College Dublin (UCD). In 1978, she earned a bachelor's degree in history and economics. She then continued her studies at UCD, getting a master's degree in economics. Later, she earned a PhD in economics from Trinity College Dublin (TCD). While at UCD, she made history as the second female leader of the university's Literary and Historical Society.

Career in Journalism and Economics

Working at The Irish Times

Maev-Ann Wren worked at The Irish Times newspaper from 1980 to 2004. During this time, she wrote about many important topics. These included economic news, political events, and social issues. She reported from different places, including Dublin, Belfast, and the United States. She held various roles, such as financial reporter, business features editor, and economics editor. She also wrote columns and editorials.

Awards and Health System Research

Maev-Ann won the National Media Award in 2001 for her newspaper analysis. This was for a series of articles she wrote in 2000 called An Unhealthy State. These articles looked closely at the problems in the Irish health system. The next year, she was nominated for another award for her work on States of Health. This series compared Ireland's health care with systems in other countries.

Books on Irish Health Care

Maev-Ann Wren has written two important books about health care in Ireland. Her first book, Unhealthy State — Anatomy of a Sick Society, was published in 2003. It explored the challenges facing Irish medical care and suggested ways to improve it. Her second book, How Ireland Cares — The Case for Health Reform, came out in 2006. She wrote this book with Professor A. Dale Tussing, an American health economist. This book started as a study for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Later Career and Research

After leaving The Irish Times in 2004, Maev-Ann continued her research. She earned her PhD in health economics from Trinity College Dublin. She also kept writing articles for other publications. These included The Sunday Business Post and Village magazine. She also contributed to the Economic and Social Research Institute's Quarterly Economic Commentary.

From 2011 to 2012, she worked as a special advisor to a government minister. She also worked as a researcher at the Centre for Health Policy and Management at TCD. In 2013, she joined the Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin. She became a senior research officer there in 2014 and retired in 2022. Since 2022, she has been a professor at the Geary Institute at University College Dublin.

Maev-Ann Wren is from Dublin. She is married to Cormac O'Rourke, and they have two daughters, Claire and Sorcha.

Selected Works

• Unhealthy State: Anatomy of a Sick Society. Dublin: New Island, 2003. ISBN: 1-902602-88-9.
• How Ireland Cares: The Case for Health Care Reform. With A. Dale Tussing. Dublin: New Island, 2006. ISBN: 1-905494-23-8.
• Health Spending and the Black Hole. Article in ESRI's Quarterly Economic Commentary, September 2004.

See also

• Auditors of the Literary and Historical Society (University College Dublin)