Appointment of new members to the Boards of RTÉ and TG4

Catherine Martin, TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media today (Wednesday 20th March 2024) confirmed the appointment of new members to the Boards of RTÉ and TG4.

Confirming the appointments, Minister Martin said:

"At its meeting today, Government approved the appointment of two new members to each of the Boards of RTÉ and TG4. On behalf of the Government, I would like to wish all four new members the very best of luck as they undertake a very important role in supporting public service broadcasting in Ireland."

Noreen O'Kelly and Shirley Bradshaw have been appointed to the Board of RTÉ, while Muireann Ní Chíobháin and Éamonn Ó hÁrgáin have been appointed to the Board of TG4.

Commenting on the appointments to the Board of RTÉ, Minister Martin said:

"With a background in accounting and finance, Noreen has extensive experience in both executive and non-executive roles in the public and private sector, and this will be of particular benefit to the Board. Shirley, who started her career in RTÉ in 1994, will take on the important role of staff representative on the Board."

Referring to the appointments to the Board of TG4, Minster Martin commented:

"Both Muireann and Éamonn have extensive experience which will benefit the Board of TG4 as it continues to not only grow the delivery of high quality content to its audiences, but also in its role in supporting the wider efforts to promote and sustain the use of Irish in our everyday lives."

Note for Editors

Appointments to both Boards are made in accordance with the provisions of Section 81 of the Broadcasting Act 2009.

Appointments to the Board of RTÉ

Noreen O'Kelly is a chartered accountant who was appointed to the Board of ESB for 10 years from 2013 to 2023, where she also served as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee (2014 to 2023) and acting chair for a number of months during 2021. She is currently independent director, and chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, of Re-Turn, Ireland's national deposit and return scheme. She was previously appointed from 2016 to 2021 to the Board of Rehab, including serving as chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and a member of remuneration committee. Noreen's executive experience includes a number of roles with Independent News & Media PLC and C&C Group Ltd, and she currently works as part-time consultant on Corporate Governance with UK-based firm Advanced Boardroom Excellence, which assesses effectiveness of boards primarily in the UK.

Shirley Bradshaw's career started in RTÉ in 1994 in the Independent Production Unit. Since then, Shirley has worked in roles in studio operations and now works as a lighting camera operator in Electrical Field Production assigned to Current Affairs. In the past, Shirley was elected as a SIPTU staff representative, nominated to RTÉ's internal Industrial Relations Tribunal as the permanent union representative, elected Chair of the RTÉ Trade Union Group, and, represented Irish film and TV workers at the Audiovisual Social Dialogue Committee of the European Commission. [Note: The Broadcasting Act provides that one member of the RTÉ Board shall be a staff member who is appointed following an election.]

Appointments to the Board of TG4

Muireann Ní Chíobháin is a children's author (Irish and English lanugages), screenwriter and performer. She has worked with both TG4 and RTÉ including serving as Young People Commissioning Editor (Cúla 4) from December 2022 to December 2023. She has also contributed as creator, writer and story editor on a number of children's television projects on both RTÉ and TG4. Muireann is also a children's author, her works include: Gealach agus Grian (November 2023); Wild Wonders (November 2023); Murphy's Law (O'Brien Press - 2022); Eoinín (Futa Fata Éire 2021, 2022); GIY's Know-It-ALLmanac (GIY Books, Ireland 2019).

Éamonn Ó hÁrgáin is President of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and he worked for 21 years with Foras na Gaeilge as a Director and Board Secretary; prior to which he worked as a manager and Secretary to the Board with Bord na Gaeilge. Éamonn is Chair of the Advisory Committee on the Irish Language in Kerry County Council and is a member of the Monitoring Committee on the Irish Language in An Garda Síochána.