IIESMS Sector Groups
Industrial engineering, fire safety, facilities management, safety and health, and healthcare systems groups for IIESMS members.
Five disciplines, one Institute
Every IIESMS member can align with a sector group that reflects their main professional discipline. The group provides a practical professional home for sector-specific CPD, committee participation, peer contact and knowledge sharing. Members are not restricted to one area. They may attend relevant activity across the Institute, while their primary sector group gives structure to committee engagement and CPD planning. Sector groups operate in an advisory, learning and engagement capacity. They support professional communities, identify CPD topics, encourage peer learning and help the Institute understand current practice in each discipline.
Five Specialist Sector Groups
Each sector group has an appointed chair, committee governance, CPD activity and a clear membership pathway. Four disciplines also have certified grade pathways where the published requirements are met.
Industrial Engineering
Optimising complex systems through lean manufacturing, process improvement, operations management, supply chain, and quality. Members work in manufacturing, production, logistics, and operational excellence. Current chair: Dr. Hans-Dieter Schinner, F.IIESMS.
Fire Safety
Protecting life and property through fire risk assessment, fire safety management, emergency response, fire detection system compliance, and passive fire protection. Current chair: Gerard Trehy, CFEng.IIESMS.
Facilities Management
Managing the built environment through building services, maintenance engineering, energy management, workplace compliance, and space planning. Current chair: Clodagh Dunphy, CMaintEng.IIESMS.
Safety and Health
Preventing workplace accidents and illnesses through risk assessment, safety management systems, training, construction safety, and regulatory compliance. Current chair: Ray McKenna, F.IIESMS.
Healthcare Systems
Supporting non-clinical healthcare safety, fire safety, estates, facilities management, emergency planning and systems improvement. Current chair: Cathal Sweetman.
Professional communities and project expertise
Sector group committees bring together members with relevant professional experience. They can identify CPD topics, suggest speakers, support events, discuss sector issues and raise matters for National Council consideration where appropriate. A specialist group member, committee or group may identify a potential project idea. That idea should be brought to National Council for review and possible approval before it becomes an IIESMS project. Project contribution is separate from group membership. Members may be invited to contribute expertise to a National Council-approved project where their skills are relevant, but participation is optional and depends on interest and availability.
Certified Grades by Discipline
Four disciplines offer specialist certified grades requiring NFQ Level 7-8 and sector experience. EUR 295/year.
Industrial Engineering
IndEng.IIESMS (Level 7, 2 years) and CIndEng.IIESMS (Level 8, 4 years). Process optimisation, manufacturing, lean.
Fire Safety
FEng.IIESMS (Level 7, 2 years) and CFEng.IIESMS (Level 8, 4 years). Fire risk assessment, fire safety management.
Facilities Management
MaintEng.IIESMS (Level 7, 2 years) and CMaintEng.IIESMS (Level 8, 4 years). Building services, maintenance.
Safety and Health
PSH.IIESMS (Level 7, 2 years) and CPSH.IIESMS (Level 8, 4 years). Workplace safety, risk assessment.
How specialist groups and projects relate
Specialist groups are professional communities. Their primary role is to support member professional development, networking, peer learning and discipline-specific discussion within their field.
Projects are different. They are organisational initiatives reviewed, approved and overseen by National Council. A project may draw expertise from a specialist group where the skills are relevant, but the project itself remains separate from ordinary group membership and group activity.
A specialist group member, a committee or the group itself may identify a potential project and bring it to National Council for review. National Council then decides whether the idea should progress, be refined, be deferred or not proceed.
Contributing to a project is optional. Members may be invited to support a National Council-approved project based on their interest, availability and relevant expertise.
This gives IIESMS two complementary routes for member involvement: specialist groups provide the professional community, while projects provide a structured way to progress organisation-wide initiatives.
Not sure a sector group fits? Try a Regional Committee
If your professional focus does not align cleanly with one of the five sector groups, or if you would rather engage with the Institute closer to home, IIESMS operates four regional committees aligned with the historic provinces of Ireland: Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster. Regional committees bring members together for CPD events, site visits, networking and local advocacy, and feed directly into the National Council through a liaison officer. Each regional committee can have up to 16 members.
Members can engage through a sector group, a regional committee, or both. Visit the Regional Committee page to see the counties covered by each region and to express interest in joining or leading a regional committee.
Choose your main professional community
Select the sector group that best reflects your main professional work. You can still attend relevant cross-sector CPD and may contribute to National Council-approved projects where your expertise, interest and availability fit the project need.
Related Groups, Projects and Governance Pages
Useful next steps for members interested in specialist groups, National Council projects and professional activity.
Membership Grades
See how membership grades connect to sector participation and certified pathways.
Committee Involvement
Read how members can get involved in sector groups, committees and CPD activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about specialist groups, projects and member involvement.
Specialist groups support member professional development, networking, peer learning, CPD and discipline-specific discussion within their field.
No. Specialist groups are professional communities. Projects are organisational initiatives reviewed, approved and overseen by National Council.
Yes. Members may be called upon to contribute expertise to National Council-approved projects where their skills are relevant. Participation is optional and depends on interest and availability.
Yes. A specialist group member, committee or group may identify a potential project and bring it to National Council for review and possible approval.
No. Project contribution is separate from group membership. Members engage with projects only where they wish to and where their expertise is relevant.
The separation keeps roles clear. Groups support professional community and CPD, while projects progress wider organisational initiatives under National Council oversight.