Former RTÉ director general Bob Collins is to head the North's Equality Commission. Unionists have reacted with hostility to the announcement, prompting a "wait-and-see" response from Mr Collins.
He is due to take over from Dame Joan Harbinson as head of the commission at the end of this month.
The DUP denounced the appointment, saying Mr Collins was not likely to command the confidence of the majority community in Northern Ireland.
Peter Robinson, the party's deputy leader, said it was "a scandal" that no member of the commission was directly linked with the largest political party in Northern Ireland.
This follows the party's strong opposition last month to the announcement that former Women's Coalition Assembly member Monica McWilliams is the new chief commissioner at the Human Rights Commission.
For the Ulster Unionists, Dermot Nesbitt said he had no personal animosity, but asked: "How is Mr Collins representative of the Northern Ireland community, coming from 30 years of working in Dublin and also continuing to hold three other public appointments in the Irish Republic?".
This prompted Mr Collins, a Kerryman, to state: "My message to unionist and nationalist politicians is: wait and see."
He told the Press Association: "Do not make any assumptions about me on the basis of where I come from.
"I see the role of the commission as addressing the needs of the entire community in Northern Ireland, the real concerns of citizens and communities, and not to address issues on a sectional basis."
He added: "I am open to having conversations with everybody and will be completely open and objective."
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern defended the choice and commended Mr Collins's record at RTÉ as director general between 1997 and 2003.
"The Equality Commission is a key institution of the Good Friday agreement," he said. "The appointment of Bob Collins as chief commissioner will ensure that its work to protect and promote equality is consolidated and advanced."
Also nominated yesterday to the commission by Northern Secretary Peter Hain were four others: Prof Eithne McLaughlin of Queen's University; Confederation of British Industry council member Bryan Johnston; James Knox, a policy and research officer with the Rainbow Project which works with lesbians, gays and bisexuals; and retired hotelier and nurse Elaine Waterson.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams he would judge the new-look commission on its record of achievement set against the aims of the Belfast Agreement.