Mr Loughrey completed his nursing education at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin. His speciality area is intensive care nursing, in which he holds a Higher Diploma from University College Dublin. Since completing a Masters in Science Degree in Nursing at University College Cork he has been involved in research. Prior to working at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health he worked on a study on behalf of the Irish Hospice Foundation based in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at University College Cork. He is currently engaged in the Cork and Kerry Diabetes and Heart Disease study and in a dietary and health related study on behalf of Safefood - the Food Safety Promotion Board‍