Noel Curran

Who is Noel Curran?

Noel Curran is a radio and television producer and current Director-General of RTÉ. He joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann as an investigative reporter in 1992 after a period working as a business journalist for Business & Finance magazine. While working at 'Business & Finance' Curran was involved in several prominent investigations, most notably into the controversial collapse of Ballybay Meats. He became Deputy Editor of Business & Finance before leaving for RTE. He joined Current Affairs as a financial reporter before becoming a Television producer.

He then became Executive Producer of live Entertainment series and productions. He produced Kenny Live and The Late Late Show. He also produced Eurosong and a live international fashion show at the Point Theatre before being appointed as Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 1997, held in Dublin and presented by Ronan Keating and Carrie Crowley. His younger brother is Richard Curran, Deputy Editor of the 'Sunday Business Post' and presenter of TV's 'Dragons Den' series.

Curran left RTÉ in 2000 to join an independent production company. As an independent producer he won an IFTA award as Executive Producer of the investigative documentary 'Bad Blood', which revealed the role of major pharmaceutical companies in selling blood products infected with the HIV virus to Irish hospitals. He returned to RTE as Editor of Current Affairs, where he helped launch the Prime Time Investigates series of documentaries. In 2003, he was appointed Managing Director of TV. He led a policy of increased investment in Irish production. That investment reached a peak of over 170 million Euro. He was appointed Director-General of RTÉ from 1 February 2011 on 9 November 2010, succeeding Cathal Goan who had decided to retire after Goan's first term that ended at end January 2011. Since becoming Director General Curran has made a number of speeches on the theme of the Digital Future of Broadcasting in Ireland.