Kilkenny to take over film board chair

Mr Ossie Kilkenny, an accountant and media investor, has been appointed chairman of Bord Scannan na hEireann, the Irish Film Board.

Mr Kilkenny, best known for handling U2's finances, is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a founder shareholder and director of TV3.

Announcing the appointment, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, said he would bring to the chair "an in-depth knowledge of how the entertainment industry works. Given the increased emphasis on the business and commercial development of film production in Ireland, his experience will be an important asset."

The Minister had previously appointed Mr Kilkenny chairman of the Film Industry Strategic Review Group, which reported to her last August.

Among the recommendations of the report, which will form the basis of a 10-year plan, was a 10p levy on rented videos and a 25p levy on cinema tickets to generate funds for the industry.

It also stressed the need to keep Section 481 tax incentives in the Finance Act. Such incentives were renewed by the Government for just 12 months and their future could be decided in tomorrow's Budget.

Mr Kilkenny takes over from Ms Ann O'Connell, a director of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who had been caretaker chairwoman of the board since the retirement of Mr Louis Marcus last March.

Mr Kilkenny, who is married with two children, is a senior partner in O.J. Kilkenny & Co, an accountancy firm with offices in Dublin and London specialising in the entertainment industry. Among his clients are Van Morrison, Oasis, The Chemical Brothers, Bryan Adams and Bjork.

He is chairman of the technology company Nua Ltd, and is on the board of The Mill, a London post-production unit, and Instant Video Technologies, based in San Francisco. He is also on the board of Special Olympics International and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.