Emily O'Reilly
Encyclopedia
Emily O'Reilly is an author and former journalist and broadcaster who became Ireland
's first female Ombudsman
in 2003
, succeeding Kevin Murphy
.
She was educated at University College Dublin
, Trinity College, Dublin
, and Harvard University
, where she was awarded a Nieman Fellowship
in journalism.
and the Sunday Tribune
, as well as serving as a political columnist at The Sunday Times
and as the Political Editor of The Sunday Business Post
. In 1998, she became the editor of Magill
magazine. She resigned in September 1999 when the magazine's sister publication, In Dublin, was banned by the Censorship of Publications Appeal Board for advertising brothels and prostitution services. http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/08/18/ihead_89.htm O'Reilly was also a broadcaster on Raidió Teilifís Éireann
(RTÉ) and Today FM
.
In the course of her journalistic career, she won two awards: Journalist of the Year and Woman Journalist of the Year.
as Irish Ombudsman
and Information Commissioner
from the then President of Ireland
, Mary McAleese
, at Áras an Uachtaráin
. She has said of her job title, "I will be an ombudswoman but will have no difficulty in being referred to as either". http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/front/2003/0326/1270181268HM1OMBUDSMAN.html
From 2007 O'Reilly was also appointed Commissioner for Environmental Information under the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations (S.I. No. 133 of 2007).
, criticised some Irish public bodies for retreating from dealing personally with the public through the use of call centres and the Internet. She cited the Revenue Commissioners in this context, pointing out that a significant proportion of the clients of these bodies are not computer literate and therefore the level of personal contact is inadequate as a consequence.
She also believes that public access to information under the Freedom of Information Act has been "excessively curtailed", often in order to protect sectional interests, such as the performance of schools. She advised that the Act should not apply to a significant number of public bodies, including the Garda Síochána
, and that fees charged are a further inhibitor.
O'Reilly is the author of three books: Candidate: The Truth Behind the Presidential Campaign (1991
),
about Mary Robinson
, Masterminds of the Right (1992
) about Catholic fundamentalism
in Ireland, and the controversial biography, Veronica Guerin
(1998
).
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
's first female Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
in 2003
2003 in politics
Years in politics: 2001-2002-2003-2004-2005 - list of years in politics-January 1:*January 1: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva takes office as president of Brazil...
, succeeding Kevin Murphy
Kevin Murphy (Irish ombudsman)
Kevin Murphy was appointed Ombudsman by the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, upon nomination by both Houses of the Oireachtas. His term of office began November 1, 1994 and ended in 2003....
.
She was educated at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where she was awarded a Nieman Fellowship
Nieman Fellowship
The Nieman Fellowship is an award given to mid-career journalists by The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. This award allows winners time to reflect on their careers and focus on honing their skills....
in journalism.
Journalism
She began her career as a journalist in the 1970s. Since then, she has held senior positions with The Irish PressThe Irish Press
The Irish Press was an Irish national daily newspaper published by Irish Press plc between 5 September 1931 and 25 May 1995.-Foundation:...
and the Sunday Tribune
Sunday Tribune
The Sunday Tribune was an Irish Sunday broadsheet newspaper published by Tribune Newspapers plc. It was edited in its final years by Nóirín Hegarty, who changed both the tone and the physical format of the newspaper from broadsheet to tabloid. Former editors include Conor Brady, Vincent Browne,...
, as well as serving as a political columnist at The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
and as the Political Editor of The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post is an Irish national Sunday newspaper published by Post Publications Limited. Post Publications is owned by Thomas Crosbie Holdings. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Ireland, the average weekly circulation was 57,783 for the period January to June 2009. The...
. In 1998, she became the editor of Magill
Magill
Magill was an Irish politics and current affairs magazine founded by Vincent Browne and others in 1977. Magill was widely perceived as groundbreaking, specialising in in-depth investigative articles and colourful reportage by journalists such as Eamonn McCann and Gene Kerrigan...
magazine. She resigned in September 1999 when the magazine's sister publication, In Dublin, was banned by the Censorship of Publications Appeal Board for advertising brothels and prostitution services. http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/08/18/ihead_89.htm O'Reilly was also a broadcaster on Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ) and Today FM
Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
.
In the course of her journalistic career, she won two awards: Journalist of the Year and Woman Journalist of the Year.
Ombudsman and Information Commissioner
On 1 June 2003, she received her Warrant of AppointmentWarrant of Appointment
A Warrant of Appointment is the official document presented by the President of Ireland to persons upon appointment to certain high offices of State, signed by the President and bearing the Official Seal of the President. Warrants are presented, among others, to judges, the Attorney General, the...
as Irish Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
and Information Commissioner
Information Commissioner
The role of Information Commissioner differs from nation to nation. Most commonly it is a title given to a government regulator in the fields of freedom of information and the protection of personal data in the widest sense.-Canada:...
from the then President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
, at Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:...
. She has said of her job title, "I will be an ombudswoman but will have no difficulty in being referred to as either". http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/front/2003/0326/1270181268HM1OMBUDSMAN.html
From 2007 O'Reilly was also appointed Commissioner for Environmental Information under the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations (S.I. No. 133 of 2007).
Transparency and accountability of Irish public bodies
O'Reilly, in a speech delivered in Dublin on 20 June 2006 to the Institute of Public AdministrationInstitute of Public Administration
Institute of Public Administration may refer to:*European Institute of Public Administration*Indian Institute of Public Administration*Institute of Public Administration *HCM Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration...
, criticised some Irish public bodies for retreating from dealing personally with the public through the use of call centres and the Internet. She cited the Revenue Commissioners in this context, pointing out that a significant proportion of the clients of these bodies are not computer literate and therefore the level of personal contact is inadequate as a consequence.
She also believes that public access to information under the Freedom of Information Act has been "excessively curtailed", often in order to protect sectional interests, such as the performance of schools. She advised that the Act should not apply to a significant number of public bodies, including the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
, and that fees charged are a further inhibitor.
O'Reilly is the author of three books: Candidate: The Truth Behind the Presidential Campaign (1991
1991 in literature
The year 1991 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Douglas Coupland publishes the novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, popularizing the term Generation X as the name of the generation....
),
about Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
, Masterminds of the Right (1992
1992 in literature
The year 1992 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Ben Aaronovitch - Transit*Julia Álvarez - How the García Girls Lost Their Accents*Paul Auster - Leviathan*Iain Banks - The Crow Road...
) about Catholic fundamentalism
Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term "fundamentalism" was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the...
in Ireland, and the controversial biography, Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin was an Irish crime reporter who was murdered on 26 June 1996 by drug lords, an event which, alongside the murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe three weeks earlier, helped establish the Criminal Assets Bureau....
(1998
1998 in literature
The year 1998 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*March 5 - Tennessee Williams' 1938 play, Not About Nightingales, receives its stage première....
).