Mary was appointed to the Authority with effect from 21 February 2006. She was a founding partner and chief executive of Wilson Hartnell Public Relations and is now its non-executive Chairman. Currently the non-executive Chairman of the Economic and Social Research Institute and of the Gate Theatre, she is a non-executive director of Canada Life (Ireland), the ICS Building Society and Opera Ireland. She is also a member of the Council of the Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) and was the first woman president of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

She holds a B.A. from UCD and completed a marketing management programme at Harvard Business School. (Aged 61)

Emer Finnan

Emer was appointed to the Authority with effect from 14 September 2005. She is Director, Strategic Development and Secretary of the EBS Building Society, a role she took up in July 2005. She previously worked in corporate finance, in Dublin with NCB and in London with ABN Amro and Solomon Brothers.

Emer is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and holds a B.Comm. (Aged 37)

Maria Killian

Maria was appointed to the Authority with effect from 21 June 2005. She currently works as a consultant HR Manager with an international facilities management company. Her career has been in the field of human resource management, where she has worked across a range of industries, including drinks manufacturing, financial services and telecommunications. She also owns and manages a successful retail business.

She is a graduate of UCD, with a B.A. and M.A. in Organisational Psychology. (Aged 35)

Ian Malcolm

Ian was appointed to the Authority with effect from 21 June 2005. He is a Ph.D student, researching the attitudes of young Protestants in Northern Ireland towards the Irish language. He previously edited the Antrim Guardian for several years before becoming a sub-editor with the News Letter in Belfast. He is still an active part-time journalist, writing a column in the daily newspaper Lá and commentating on Northern Ireland political affairs in the Irish language electronic media.

He holds a First Class Honours degree in Celtic Studies from Queen’s University Belfast. (Aged 42)

Paddy Marron

Paddy was appointed to the Authority with effect from 21 June 2005. He also served on the previous Authority that completed its term of office on 31 May 2005. He worked in the food industry for 33 years; firstly with Rowntree Mackintosh in Ireland and, for the ten years up to his retirement, as Chief Executive of Nestlé Ireland. He was Chairman of the Food and Drink Federation of IBEC for a number of years, as well as a member of the National Executive of IBEC. He is also a mentor in the Mentor Programme of Enterprise Ireland.

He is a chartered accountant and holds a B.A. in Archaeology and Art History from UCD. (Aged 68)

Úna Ní Chonaire

Úna was appointed to the RTÉ Authority with effect from 21 June 2005. She works with A-Truss in Rath Cairn, Co. Meath. She is a fluent Irish speaker and a part-time reporter for RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

In her spare time, Úna helps children improve their Irish and plays camogie, gaelic football and rugby. (Aged 21)

Joe O’Brien

Joe was appointed to the RTÉ Authority with effect from 14 September 2005. He is an RTÉ News Correspondent specialising in Agriculture, Food and Defence. He previously served as Industry Correspondent. He also has wide experience in the coverage of European affairs, Third World issues and politics. He topped the poll in an internal election held amongst staff to select a candidate for consideration by the Government for appointment to the Authority.

Before he joined RTÉ in 1979, he studied Journalism at the College of Commerce, Rathmines, Dublin and worked for newspapers in Navan and in his native Carlow. (Aged 50)

Stephen O’Byrnes

Stephen was appointed to the Authority with effect from 21 June 2005. He also served on the previous Authority that completed its term of office on 31 May 2005. A PR/Public Affairs consultant, Stephen is Executive Director of Media Relations & Public Affairs Consultants Ltd. During the period 1986 to 1995, he worked as Director of Policy and Press Relations for the Progressive Democrats Party and was Assistant Government Press Secretary from 1989 to 1992.
Prior to that, he worked as a journalist for 15 years, with the Irish Independent and the Irish Press Group, holding various editorial and correspondent posts.

He holds a B.A. in Modern Irish History from UCD. (Aged 56)