The editor-in-chief of Ireland on Sunday, Mr Martin Clarke, is leaving the paper to take up a position at the Mail on Sunday in Britain. He flies to London this week to take up the post of executive editor.
He will be replaced by Mr Ted Verity, a senior editor at the Mail on Sunday, who has worked in Dublin in recent years. Mr Verity will join the editor of Ireland on Sunday, Mr Paul Drury.
Since arriving in the Republic three years ago, Mr Clarke has presided over strong circulation gains. At end 2001, when Associated Newspapers bought the title, circulation stood at 53,265, but this grew to 160,493 by the end of last year.
The paper's reliance on CD giveaways was not always popular with advertisers, however, even though it was later copied by the Sunday Independent.
Several journalists have also left the paper in the last two years, some citing the paper's management style and its emphasis on the private lives of public figures.
Mr Clarke was also responsible for aggressive campaigns against Associated's main rival in Ireland, Independent News & Media (IN&M), including its executive chairman Sir Anthony O'Reilly.
Mr Clarke accused IN&M of inflating its sales figures with so-called "bulk sales" (reduced price sales). As part of this campaign last year, Ireland on Sunday published advertisements in the national press mocking Sir Anthony and his various newspapers. Despite this intense rivalry and the strong circulation growth, Associated Newspapers Ireland has found it difficult to make Ireland on Sunday profitable. According to its last published accounts to September 2002, the paper was producing a pre-tax loss of €14.2 million.
Mr Clarke said yesterday: "I am immensely proud of everything the staff have achieved and would like to thank them all for their magnificent efforts over the past three years."
Mr Paul Dacre, editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers, said Mr Clarke and his team had done a superb job. "We are delighted now to have his talents in London. Ted Verity is a brilliant all-round professional journalist and I am confident that with Paul Drury he will take Ireland on Sunday to new heights."
