Appointments Committee

The Appointments Committee seeks expressions of interest for the independent members of the Press Council by public advertisment, and chooses for appointment six of those who have responded.  The Chairman is the seventh independent member of the Press Council. 

The Committee also appoints six members of the Press Council reserved for individuals with relevant experience of journalism and the press industry, on the basis of nominations received by the press organisations Newsbrands Ireland, Magazines Ireland, Local Ireland and the National Union of Journalists.  

The members of the first Appointments Committee in 2007 were:

Professor Thomas Mitchell (Chairman), former Provost of Trinity College Dublin

Dr Maurice Manning, former President of the Irish Human Rights Commission

Dr Miriam Hederman O'Brien, former Chair of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission and the Commission on Taxation

Mr Kevin Murphy, former Ombudsman and Information Commissioner

Members of the current Appointments Committee are: 

Mr Rory Montgomery (Chair)

Ms Frances Ruane, former Chair of the Economic & Social, Research Institute 

Mr Dermot McCarthy, former Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach

Ms Tina Roche, founder of Business in the Community and Community Foundation Ireland