Our History

The History of IIESMS

What is now IIESMS has been part of the Irish professional landscape for over seven decades. What began in 1955 as a small society for work study practitioners has grown into a multi-discipline professional body covering industrial engineering, fire safety, safety and health, healthcare, and facilities management. The story of how that happened is worth telling properly, because it says something about the resilience of professional organisations in Ireland and the willingness of volunteers to keep something going through good times and difficult ones.

The Institute has operated as a not-for-profit from day one. Every penny of income has been applied solely to advancing the profession and supporting members. That principle has never changed, even as the organisation itself has changed considerably.

The Beginning (1955 - 1963)

In 1955, the Irish Work Study Society was founded. It was Ireland’s first professional body for work study practitioners, the people who were applying scientific methods to improve how Irish factories and businesses operated. Ireland was modernising rapidly in the post-war period, and work study was at the heart of that effort. The Society grew through the late 1950s and early 1960s as more Irish companies adopted systematic approaches to production and efficiency.

The decision to incorporate came in 1963. On 31 May, eight founding subscribers signed the Memorandum of Association. They were qualified work study engineers and practitioners drawn from Dublin, Dundalk, and Cork. Among them were J. McDermott (Work Study Engineer), Niall McConnell (Production Controller), Patrick A. Devine (Chief Work Study Engineer), and Joseph P. Cogan (Methods Manager). These were practical professionals, not academics. They knew what they were doing and they wanted a proper legal structure for the organisation they had built.

On 17 June 1963, the Certificate of Incorporation was issued. The new body was registered as Irish Work Study Institute Limited under the Companies Acts, with Company Number 20594. That same company number remains in use today, over sixty years later. In 1966, the Articles of Association were formally adopted at an Extraordinary General Meeting, and a Code of Ethics followed shortly after. The Institute was now a properly constituted professional body with governance, standards, and a clear sense of purpose.

Growth and International Affiliation (1970s - 1996)

Over the following decades, the Irish Work Study Institute evolved alongside Irish industry. The name changed to the Institute of Industrial Engineers, or IIE as the profession itself broadened beyond pure work study into the wider field of industrial engineering. The Institute was recognised as a founding member of the World Confederation of Productivity Sciences, placing it within a global network of organisations focused on productivity improvement and professional development.

The most significant international milestone came in 1996, when the IIE became the 79th Chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). IISE is the world’s largest professional society for industrial and systems engineers, with members in over 90 countries. The affiliation gave Irish members access to an international network of peers, research, conferences, and publications. Importantly, the Institute maintained its independent national status. It was not absorbed into the larger body. It remained an Irish organisation, governed by its own Council, serving Irish members, but now with a direct connection to the global profession.

Expansion to Five Disciplines (2020)

In 2020, the IIE took the biggest step in its history. The Council recognised that the professional landscape had changed fundamentally. Many practitioners working in fire safety, facilities management, safety and health, and healthcare were applying the same systematic, evidence-based approaches that had always been at the heart of industrial engineering. These professionals needed a home, and the Institute had the structure and credibility to provide one.

The name changed to the Institute of Industrial Engineers and Safety Management Systems (IIESMS), and the scope expanded to cover five specialist disciplines: Industrial Engineering, Fire Safety, Safety and Health, Healthcare, and Facilities Management. The membership grades were restructured and aligned with the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), giving members clear pathways from Student through to Fellow, with eight discipline-specific certified grades in between.

This was not a cosmetic rebrand. It was a genuine expansion of scope, governance, and purpose. Each of the five disciplines now has its own sector group with an appointed chair, and the membership framework was designed from scratch to reflect the qualifications and experience that practitioners in each field actually hold.

COVID and Relaunch (2020 - 2022)

The timing could hardly have been worse. The expansion from IIE to IIESMS was agreed just as COVID-19 forced the country into lockdown. Council activity was suspended, meetings paused, and the momentum that had been building was lost almost overnight. For nearly two years, the Institute was effectively dormant.

The turning point came in October 2022, at what proved to be a pivotal Annual General Meeting. A new Council was elected, and it brought with it two historic firsts. Victoria Wilmott became the Institute’s first female President, and Clodagh Dunphy was elected Secretary, another first for the organisation. Joe Kelly, a former Mayor of Waterford and long-standing community leader, was elected Chairperson. This was not a continuation of the old guard. It was a genuine relaunch, with new energy and new faces around the table.

Modernisation (2023 - 2026)

Since the 2022 relaunch, the pace of change has been considerable. In 2025, the five formal sector groups were established with appointed chairs covering each discipline. This gave the expanded structure real substance. Each group is now responsible for its own CPD programming, professional standards, and member engagement.

In 2026, the governance framework was comprehensively updated. New Articles of Association were adopted under the Companies Act 2014, a detailed Compliance Manual was introduced, and the Byelaws were updated to version 1.3. These were not minor administrative changes. They brought the Institute’s governance fully into line with modern standards and gave the Council the tools it needs to manage a growing membership effectively.

The Institute now has capacity for 500 members and operates with hybrid meeting facilities. Council meetings and sector group sessions are held both in person and online, making it possible for members across Ireland and internationally to participate fully.

Recognition and Partnerships

Throughout its history, the Institute has earned recognition from the Irish State. IIESMS holds a Seanad Eireann nomination privilege for the Industry and Commerce Panel, a right that acknowledges the Institute’s contribution to Irish professional and industrial life. This privilege was exercised in January 2025, when Joe Kelly was nominated.

The Institute has also been active in European partnerships, participating in Erasmus+ funded projects with university and professional body partners across multiple countries. These collaborations have produced shared curricula, research outputs, and professional development resources that benefit members directly.

From the Irish Work Study Society in 1955, through incorporation as the Irish Work Study Institute in 1963, the IIE years and international affiliation in 1996, multi-discipline expansion in 2020, and comprehensive modernisation in 2026, the Institute has shown a consistent ability to adapt without losing sight of its core purpose: advancing professional standards and supporting the people who work in engineering, safety, and management across Ireland.