Fiona Mitchell appointed RTÉ London correspondent

RTÉ has announced that its deputy foreign editor Fiona Mitchell is to take up the role of London correspondent in January.

The appointment comes about two years after the broadcaster decided to close its London bureau, which had a staff of five including London editor Brian O’Connell, as part of a drive to cut costs across the company by some €25 million.

Mitchell is to operate under what RTÉ described as a “more cost effective model” and will be expected to use self-editing and self-shooting skills, with access to a freelance camera crew when necessary.

She will work out of ITN’s offices in the city and will be expected to contribute material from across Britain to RTÉ’s TV, radio and online offerings.

A general election and the ongoing debate over Britain's place in the Europe Union will be among the main subjects facing Mitchell when she assumes the role. She said she was pleased to take it on at "such a hugely interesting time in British life and politics".

A native of Tullamore and a graduate of NUI Galway, Mitchell joined RTÉ in 2000 and worked as a reporter before being appointed a news editor in 2006 and later moving on to the foreign desk.

As a means of covering part of the cost of the position, RTÉ will not reappoint a Europe correspondent when Paul Cunningham's term comes to an end at the end of December. Tony Connolly, who is based in Brussels, will continue to serve as Europe editor.