MINISTER ANNOUNCES NEW IRISH FILM BOARD

SILE De Valera, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, has announced new appointments to the Board of Bord Scannan Na hEireann, The Irish Film Board.
The announcement follows a month long wait after the remit of the board ran out on January 15 2001. Of the seven people selected three were members of the outgoing board.
Three members of the original board will remain in place for another term; Ossie Kilkenny entertainment industry accountant will continue as Chair, Ann O’Connell co-author of the 1992 Coopers and Lybrand report on the Irish indigenous audiovisual production industry who has been a member since the Board's reactivation in 1993; and Morgan O'Sullivan producer and former managing director of Ardmore Studios.
The other four appointed include writer Roddy Doyle; Martha O’Neill, producer; Alan Gilsenan, former Chairman of Filmakers Ireland and Margaret McCarthy MacIntyre, lecturer in Irish Cultural History at NUI. The appointments are effective until January 16 2005.
Minister de Valera said these appointments have been made at a time when the Film Board are facing the challenge of implementing the strategic plan for the Irish film industry which was developed by the Film Industry Strategic Review Group, chaired by Kilkenny. This report was endorsed by the Minister and the Government.
The Minister also expressed her appreciation to the outgoing members of the Board, Gabriel Byrne, Mary Alleguen, Nuala Moiselle and Mick Hannigan.
She said their commitment and dedication contributed to the success and development of the industry. (CMcL)