Bob Collins has spent most of his working life in broadcasting in Ireland with the country’s national broadcasting organisation, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). He was Director of Television for eight years and subsequently Director-General for seven years. Later, he served as the inaugural Chair of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the regulatory body for all broadcasting in Ireland.
During his time in RTÉ, he was very active in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) including being elected as President of the Television Committee for seven years. He was also elected to the EBU’s Administrative Council and served as a member of the EBU Presidency for seven years. He spoke and wrote widely throughout Europe and in many other countries on broadcasting matters.
Following his time with RTÉ, he was appointed by the UK government to be Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, based in Belfast and, later, was Chair of the Arts Council for Northern Ireland. He continues his engagements with the improvement of relations within Northern Ireland and between North and South. He is President of the Irish Association for Cultural, Economic and Social Relations and is a member of the Executive Committee of the British-Irish Association.
He also currently serves as a member of the Policing Authority of Ireland and on the Board of the National Library of Ireland.
