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05|10|07

Ofcom appoints six new members to its Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland

Ofcom today announced the appointment of six new members to its Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland.

The Advisory Committee was established under the terms of the Communications Act 2003 to provide advice to Ofcom about the interests and opinions of people living in Northern Ireland on all communications matters.

The six new appointments, all for three year terms, will fill posts on the Committee which had come to the end of their term.

Dr Sally Montgomery is Chief Executive of the W5 Education and Visitor Centre at the Odyssey complex in Belfast. A qualified teacher and published academic, she worked in secondary and further education before joining the Ulster Museum where she became Head of Education and led the project to create W5. Sally has also written and presented a variety of education programmes for Channel 4 and BBC TV and radio.

Billy McClean is Managing Director of a project management consultancy specialising in technology projects.  He has worked for more than 25 years in IT, including roles as Digital Inclusion Manager with Business In The Community NI, Managing Director of Club-IT and Chief Executive of Momentum – the Northern Ireland ICT Federation – where he set-up the NI Telecoms Industry Forum.  Billy currently manages the Digital Inclusion Steering Board which works with business, government and the community and voluntary sector to address digital divide issues. 

Máire Killoran is Head of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund in Northern Ireland Screen, where she is responsible for administering a £3m annual fund provided by the Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure.  A law graduate and former primary school teacher, Máire was a news reader, journalist and Northern Ireland News Correspondent with Irish language TV station TG4 from 1996 - 2004. Since completing her MBA in Queen’s University Belfast in 2007, Máire has been appointed as Director of Communications & Engagement with the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA); a position she will take up in November.

Jim Dougal is Managing Director of a communications consultancy and an independent broadcaster and journalist with 30 years experience. He was formerly Political Editor for BBC NI and Northern Editor for RTÉ and more recently served as the official spokesperson for the European Commission both in Northern Ireland and then in the UK as a whole. Jim holds an Honorary Doctorate from Queen’s University Belfast for his services to broadcasting and the community.

Libby Kinney is Director of Communications for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.  A print journalist for over 10 years, in the main with the Belfast Telegraph, she moved to a media management role with BBC NI in 2000. In her five years with the BBC she was responsible for the UK–wide promotion of a diverse range of programming from Panorama to Ballykissangel, as well as the management of the Northern Ireland press office.  She is co-founder and secretary of SPEAC (Special Provision for the Education of Autistic Children).

Isolde Goggin is a former Chairperson and Commissioner of ComReg – the communications regulator in the Republic of Ireland. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland, Isolde has worked for Telecom Eireann and Ericsson Systems Expertise as well as for the European Commission’s Directorate Generale for Telecommunications. She spent six years as Director of Regulated Markets for the Irish Competition Authority before joining ComReg.

Denis Wolinski, Director of Ofcom Northern Ireland said: “Our Advisory Committee plays a pivotal role in providing Ofcom with advice on key issues affecting citizens and consumers in Northern Ireland in relation to television, radio, telecoms and wireless services.

“The communications industry is changing rapidly in Northern Ireland. We are the fastest growing region for broadband and digital TV take-up and we are seeing reductions in mobile roaming charges and the creation of a vibrant community radio sector.

“The knowledge and expertise which our new Advisory Committee members bring to the Committee will complement those of our existing members and ensure that the Committee continues to provide Ofcom with informed and timely advice.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

Members are appointed to the Advisory Committee through an open public application process. The Committee meets quarterly and reports directly to the Ofcom Board. The minutes of meetings and details of all current Committee members can be found on the Ofcom website.

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