Noel Curran to leave RTÉ

The managing director of television at RTÉ Noel Curran is to step down from the position in May, the broadcaster confirmed this afternoon.

RTÉ said Mr Curran, who has been with the broadcaster since 1992, is leaving on May 26th in order to pursue other interests.

The broadcaster said he will continue to work with RTÉ in an advisory capacity.

A native of Co Monaghan, Mr Curran worked in the print media as a business journalist and deputy editor with Business and Finance magazine before joining the broadcaster as a reporter.

He subsequently worked as a producer in entertainment, factual and current affairs programming and was executive producer of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted by RTÉ in 1997.

In 2000, he left RTÉ to become director of an independent production company before returning to the broadcaster as editor of current affairs where he launched the Prime Time Investigates strand of documentaries.

Mr Curran replaced Cathal Goan as managing director of television in 2003 following Mr Goan's promotion to the role of director general.

"I've been fortunate enough to work with some incredibly talented people both in RTÉ and in the independent sector. I want to thank them for all their continued hard work and creativity. Their work has filled our schedules with the best in Irish programme-making," said Mr Curran in a statement.

RTÉ said the search for a replacement will be found through internal and external interviews which will be held next month.

Speaking of Mr Curran's decision to leave, Mr Goan thank him for his enormous contribution to the broadcaster.