Coimisiún na Meán has been established further to the provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (“OSMR Act 2022”).The OSMR Act 2022 was enacted on 10 December 2022. The OSMR Act 2022 amended the Broadcasting Act 2009 to establish Coimisiún na Meán and dissolve the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (“BAI”).
In addition to undertaking the functions of the BAI as the regulator for broadcasting in Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán is to establish a regulatory framework for online safety, update the regulation of television broadcasting and audiovisual on-demand services, and transpose the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive into Irish law.
An Coimisiún is led by an Executive Chair and four Commissioners, further details can be found below.
Jeremy Godfrey
Executive Chairperson
Jeremy Godfrey has over 30 years of regulatory, government and business experience in the communications, technology and online sectors, in Ireland and Hong Kong.
Jeremy was Chairperson of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). Previously he served eight years as a Commissioner and Chairperson of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). During that time, he also served as Chair and vice-Chair of BEREC, the coordinating body for EU telecoms regulators. In Hong Kong, he served as Government Chief Information Officer, as a management consultant and as a senior executive in the telecommunications sector.
Jeremy has been involved in regulatory developments such as the EU’s Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the Open Internet Regulation. As Hong Kong Government CIO, he had responsibility for the e-government programme and cloud computing strategy, as well as for Internet governance, digital inclusion and promoting online safety. As a consultant, he advised clients about online business strategies and on regulatory issues in the communications, energy, transportation and financial services sectors. While in the telecommunications industry he was involved in the launch of the world’s first commercial online video-on-demand service as well as in many regulatory issues.
Jeremy started his career as a civil servant in the UK government. He holds an MA from Cambridge University, where he studied mathematics.
Niamh Hodnett
Online Safety Commissioner
Niamh Hodnett has extensive experience in designing, enforcing and managing compliance with regulatory obligations in the online and communications fields. Her regulatory expertise spans data protection, cybersecurity, competition, consumer protection and communications regulation.
Her online safety experience includes putting in place a Memorandum of Understanding with An Garda Síochána as well as an Interpol Agreement on blocking access to the Interpol worst of list of child sex abuse material and overseeing implementation. She also has significant experience of putting in place online measures to protect people at risk of gambling addiction online. Niamh has brought criminal prosecutions for regulatory breaches as well as civil enforcement compliance proceedings. She has in-depth litigation experience of appeals and judicial reviews.
Niamh’s most recent role was Chief Legal and Regulatory officer at Premier Lotteries, the operator of the National Lottery. She was previously Head of Regulatory Affairs at the mobile phone company, Three Ireland, a senior legal advisor with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), a regulatory lawyer with An Post and a member of the EU, competition & regulatory law teams at Mayer Brown in Brussels and Matheson in Dublin.
Niamh qualified as a solicitor in 1998 and is an expert in regulatory law with extensive knowledge and experience of both Irish and European law. She studied Law and German at UCC and has a master’s in law from Universität Passau in Germany. She has co-authored European Law published by Oxford University Press and Regulatory Law in Ireland published by Tottel. She is also a qualified mediator.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill
Media Development Commissioner
Rónán Ó Domhnaill was an Coimisinéir Teanga for the past 9 years. As language commissioner he has advocated for strengthening language legislation in Ireland and has advised government, political parties, Oireachtas committees and various other stakeholders of the necessity of robust legislation. A revised Official Languages Act which ensures a significant increase in language rights for the public and bestows comprehensive obligations on public bodies regarding the provision of state services in Irish was enacted in December 2021.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill is the chair of the Irish Ombudsman’s Forum, the Irish representative on the executive board of the Ombudsman Association and the former chair of the International Association of Language Commissioners.
Rónán has previously spent sixteen years as a journalist with both TG4 and RTÉ. In 2006, he was appointed as Political Correspondent with Nuacht RTÉ/TG4 and presented numerous political programmes such as The Week in Politics.
He holds a BA from University Galway, a MA in Leadership & Strategy from the Institute of Public Administration and a Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance.
John Evans
Digital Services Commissioner
John Evans has over 20 years’ experience working in the area of competition, regulation and consumer protection.
John joined Coimisiún na Meán in July 2023 as the Digital Services Commissioner. The Government decided that An Coimisiún will be designated as Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator, implementing and enforcing the EU Regulation known as the Digital Services Act in Ireland. As Digital Services Commissioner, John has responsibility, among other things, for:
- Leading, in close co-operation with the Online Safety Commissioner, on the enforcement and implementation of the Digital Services Coordinator’s functions within Coimisiún na Meán
- Developing the procedures necessary to implement the Digital Services Act, such as the certification procedures for awarding trusted flagger status and vetting researchers regarding access to data
- Representing the Irish Digital Services Coordinator as member of the European Board of Digital Services
- Developing effective relationships with Digital Services Coordinators in other Member States
- Ensuring close cooperation with the European Commission in the enforcement and implementation of the regulation of the Digital Services Act for very large online platforms and search engines
Prior to joining An Coimisiún, John was the Director of Strategy and Economics at ComReg, the Irish communications regulator, which he joined in 2015. At ComReg John’s responsibilities included strategic planning, research & economics, international work and emerging issues related to the digital economy.
John also has extensive experience of enforcement. Prior to joining ComReg, John worked in various roles at the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (and previously the Irish Competition Authority), latterly as the Director of Civil Competition Law Enforcement where he worked on a number of high-profile complex investigations.
John holds a PhD in Economics from UCD, Ireland.
Aoife MacEvilly
Broadcasting and Video-on-Demand Commissioner
Aoife MacEvilly was a member of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) from October 2014 to July 2024, and was appointed Chairperson from February 2020 to 2023. Her lead responsibilities included empowering and protecting customers, supporting active customers and communities and ensuring safe, secure and sustainable supplies of energy and water.
Aoife previously worked in the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and in the private sector. She holds a BA in European Business and German from Ulster University, a Professional Diploma in Regulatory Governance from UCD and an MA in Leadership from UCD Smurfit.