INTERVIEWS for the post of director general of RTE take place today and tomorrow. The successful candidate will be appointed before the new year and will take up the position in April, when the current holder, Mr Joe Barry, retires.
Both RTE and the recruitment consultants, MSL, have been reluctant even to confirm that interviews are taking place. However, it is believed there are 10 candidates, seven internal and three external.
The RTE candidates are thought to include Mr Peter Branagan, the head of productions facilities, which was the post held by Mr Barry before his promotion and Mr Eugene Murray, the head of programme services and head of presentation. Mr Murray is a former current affairs television producer.
Also believed to be in the running are: Mr Kevin Healy, the head of radio; Mr Liam Miller, head of television services; Mr Joe Mulholland, the director of news; and Mr Bob Collins, the assistant director general. It is also thought that Ms Claire Duignan, commissioning editor for independent productions, has applied.
There has been no indication as to the identities of the external candidates.
Candidates went through a preliminary assessment conducted by the consultants, MSL, in October. For the next two days the applicants will be interviewed by a panel made up of members of the authority. They are: Dr Farrel Corcoran, the chairman; Ms Anne Haslam, an accountant from Birr, Co Offaly; Ms Anne Tannahill, the managing director of Blackstaff Press, Belfast and Mr Des Geraghty, the former Democratic Left MEP and currently national group secretary of SIPTU.
The film maker, Mr Bob Quinn, also a member of the authority, was to be on the panel, but was withdrawn after he criticised RTE. His place has been taken bye former Taoiseach, Dr Garret FitzGerald.
Mr Branagan is the only candidate from the technical and engineering side. All the other internal candidates are from the programming side, which has never produced a director general.
The new director general will face a challenging five year stint. Broadcasting legislation is expected in the new year which the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins, has promised will make fundamental changes to Irish broadcasting.