The deputy director of the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation (ODTR), Mr John Doherty, and Ms Isolde Goggin of the Competition Authority, have been offered positions as commissioners in the new Communications Commission.

Mr Doherty and Ms Goggin sat interviews for the €121,000 per year posts last week and it is understood they have been informed of their success. If they accept, they will join telecoms regulator Ms Etain Doyle on a three-person commission to regulate the telecoms and postal sectors. Neither Mr Doherty or Ms Goggin could be contacted yesterday.

Mr Doherty was recently appointed deputy director of the ODTR after several years with IDA Ireland. Ms Goggin currently works on telecoms issues at the Competition Authority and has worked previously with Eircom and Ericsson.

It is believed the new commission will be appointed shortly by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Dermot Ahern.

The new commission will have greater powers than the current office of the telecommunications regulator. It can fine operators on indictment up to 10 per cent of revenue.

It is likely Ms Doyle will be appointed chairman of the commission for the rest of her contract, which runs until mid-2004.