Two new appointments to the Press Council

Press Council and Ombudsman logoAccording to a press release on the Press Council website:

Press Council announces appointment of two new independent Council members

The Chairman of the Press Council, Dáithí O’Ceallaigh … announced the appointment of two new members of the Press Council of Ireland, who will serve for a three-year term. The new members are Professor Áine Hyland, Emeritus Professor of Education at University College, Cork, and Mr Éamonn Mac Aodha, Chief Executive of the Irish Human Rights Commission.

They replace two retiring members of the Council, former District Justice Mary Kotsonouris, and Mr Peter O’Mahony, former CEO of the Irish Refugee Council. The appointments were made, on the basis of applications from members of the public, by an independent Appointments Committee, which was chaired by the outgoing Chairman, Professor Thomas Mitchell.

Announcing the new appointments, Mr.O’Ceallaigh said “I am delighted to welcome Professor Hyland and Mr Mac Aodha to the Press Council. They bring a wealth of experience in the public service to the Council.

Prof Hyland, via NAIRTLProfessor Áine Hyland, pictured left, is a world-renowned educationalist. She was Professor of Education and Vice-President of UCC, is a member of the European Universities Association Institutional Evaluation Team, and is Chair of the International Advisory Board of the (National Academy for the Integration of Research and Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL). Mr Éamonn Mac Aodha, Chief Executive of the IHRC, has over twenty years public service in various roles; he was Director of the Human Rights Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs from 2004 – 2007. They have a tough job ahead of them, and I wish them all the best of luck.