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ComReg announces establishment of Expert Advisory Group

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) today announced today that it has set up a high level Expert Group to advise ComReg on its strategic approach to developments, innovation and regulation within the Electronic Communications sectors. All five members of this group have extensive experience of the Information & Communications Technology [ICT] sector and in advising Governments and Industry on key developments within these sectors.

The Group’s advice to ComReg will focus particularly on international and national strategic issues which have implications for the ICT Sector as it plays such a key role in terms of growth, competitiveness and employment within the Irish economy.

It is ComReg’s aim to ensure that Ireland has a leading-edge Electronic Communications sector which will attract business investment, support innovation, benefit consumers and assist in contributing to Ireland’s overall competitiveness. In seeking to achieve these objectives, the Expert Group will add to ComReg’s knowledge and expertise as it deals with the challenges facing the sector.

The Expert Advisory Group will meet with ComReg’s senior management team on a quarterly basis over the next two years. The members of the Expert Group will include:

Dr. David Cleevely is a leading authority on telecommunications policy and digital economy and he is founder and chairman of Analysys Limited. Dr Cleevely has been a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers Communications Sector Panel since 2002. He has worked with many Governments advising on policy to encourage innovation and growth within the telecommunications sector.

Mr Dan Flinter is a former Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland. Previously Mr Flinter held a range of senior positions including, CEO of Forbairt, Executive Director of IDA and Board member of Forfas. Mr Flinter, is currently a Director of the Digital Hub Development Agency, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Food Strategy Group and Non Executive Director of Project Management Holdings. During his time with Enterprise Ireland, Forbairt and IDA, Mr Flinter played a leading role in the development of Irish Industrial Policy.

Dr William Melody is an economist and expert of telecoms reform. He is currently Visiting Professor at the Technical School of Economics, Denmark, the London School of Economics and the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. He is a Director of the World Dialogue on Regulation for Network Economies and editor of Telecom Reform: Prinicples, Policies and Regulatory Practices. He is a former Chief Economist with the US Federal Communications Commission and he has advised many governments around the world about telecom reform programmes.

Eli Noam is Professor of Economics and Finance at Columbia University Business School, New York. He is the Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information which is a research centre focussing on strategy, management and policy issues in telecommunications and electronic media.

Dr. Jim Norton is Visiting Professor of Electronic Engineering at the University of Sheffield and is a policy advisor in the field of telecommunications and electronic communications. He is a board member of the UK Parliament’s Office of Science and Technology and he is also a member of the Forward Looking Panel of the Commission for Communications Regulation.

Commenting on the establishment of the Expert Group, John Doherty, the Chairperson of ComReg said: “The electronic communications sector is a key driver of Ireland’s economic development and it is imperative that ComReg is fully informed of the challenges and developments facing this dynamic and rapidly evolving sector. It’s also the rationale underpinning ComReg’s decision to establish the Expert Group.”

Mr Doherty added: “It is particularly gratifying that people of such international stature and experience have agreed to join us and we believe that their input will contribute to ComReg’s aim of ensuring that its strategic decision-making is both well-informed and forward looking.”

Issued By
Tom Butler
Public Affairs Manager, ComReg
Ph: 01 804 9639 Mobile: 087 2536358 tom.butler@comreg.ie

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