Mr Ron Bolger has been re-appointed chairman of Telecom Eireann for a further five years. The appointment, which was made by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke takes effect from today.

Mr Bolger is a senior partner in KPMG chartered accountants and a former managing partner of the firm. Age 49 he was first appointed chairman of Telecom in 1991.

During his chairmanship the company has undergone some radical restructuring, a process which is ongoing. A deal was also negotiated with KPN/Telia a Dutch/ Swedish consortium of state telecoms companies to take a 20 per cent shareholding in Telecom for £183 million. They have an option to buy a further 15 per cent for £200 million, under a complex deal.

In an interview with The Irish Times earlier this year Mr Bolger said he would like to stay on in the £7,500 a year non-executive post to oversee Telecom's entry into a new era of competition. He was speaking after Telecom's announcement of pre-tax profits of £204 million, a 76 per cent rise on last year. The company also reduced customer charges by £65 million.

Mr Bolger's next term of office will see many more changes in the marketplace. Telecom has just announced further sharp reductions in its charges - a £43 million package involving reduced trunk call and some overseas rates.

Mr Bolger previously served on the board of Greencore, which he was also appointed to by a Fianna Fail led Government and was also on the committee which oversaw the development of the IFSC in 1987.

He was born in Dublin and has five children.