Several prominent civil servants and the current director of regulatory affairs at Chorus are among potential candidates for the new post of Commissioner for Communications Regulation, industry sources said yesterday.
The deadline for applications for the post, which commands a salary of €121,087, is next week, and there are likely to be a number of applicants due to the current malaise in the telecoms sector.
Up to two new commissioners can be chosen to join the telecoms regulator, Ms Etain Doyle, on the proposed new Commission for Communications Regulation, which will take on the role of the current Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation.
Industry sources suggested yesterday that several prominent figures within the Irish telecoms sector, such as Mr Willie Fagan, currently director of regulatory affairs at Chorus, may be tempted to apply for the high-profile posts.
Mr Fagan worked previously as a public servant in the Department of Finance and is a former director of consumer affairs. Current difficulties at Chorus, which is facing strong competition from Sky, may tempt Mr Fagan back into the public sector, sources suggest.
Another regulatory expert at Chorus, Mr Iarla Flynn, may also be interested in the post. Mr Flynn is chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators - a trade body representing competitors in the market - and worked previously in the Department of Public Enterprise.
A strong potential candidate from the current Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation is Mr John Doherty, the current deputy director. Mr Doherty recently moved from IDA Ireland to the regulator's office, where he worked on major telecommunications projects.
Several public servants from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources may also be well placed to apply for the new positions. Mr Eamon Molloy, assistant secretary at the Department, Mr Aidan Hodson, executive officer with responsibility for telecoms regulation, and Mr Niall O'Donnchu, principal officer, all have experience of telecommunications.
Ms Isolde Goggin, who currently works at the Competition Authority, has a background that spans both telecoms engineering and regulation and may be a candidate. Ms Goggin worked previously with Eircom and Ericsson, and would have a good grasp of competition issues within the sector, industry sources said.
Former chairman of the Telecommunications User Group, Ms Dee Carri, may also be interested in the new post. Ms Carri, who worked until recently with research group Gartner, was also a consultant with PA consulting and has worked at pharmaceutical firm Elan.
A number of senior industry sources said it was likely that international candidates would apply for the post, which has been advertised widely in the media abroad.
The application forms for the posts - seen by the Irish Times - show that candidates may have their knowledge of Irish assessed in a competitive test. Extra marks will be awarded to candidates that are proficient in both English and Irish, according to the forms.
Under the job description outlined, each commissioner will have a first term of four years and may be reappointed by the Minister for Communication for a period of not less than three years and not more than five years.
One of the key requirements for the post is an "indepth knowledge and/or experience of working in or with a business/commercial environment preferably in the electronic communications sector".
Knowledge and understanding of the Irish and international electronic communications and postal sectors, and of trends and developments in those sectors is considered desirable for the post.
The Minister for Communications, Mr Dermot Ahern, will appoint Ms Etain Doyle or one of the two new commissioners to the post of chairman of the new commission. The new commission will be responsible for regulating and licensing the electronic communications sector. It will also regulate the postal sector and manage the radio frequency spectrum.
