Name: Maurice O'Connell.

Age: 65.

Family: Married with four grown-up children.

Background: From Moyvane, Co Kerry. He attended St Michael's College, Listowel, and St Brendan's College, Killarney. He later attended St Patrick's College at Maynooth and University College Dublin, and holds a post-graduate degree in ancient classics.

Career: He began his career as a secondary-school teacher, working at home and abroad. He joined the Department of Finance in 1962 and worked in a number of roles until his appointment as governor of the Central Bank of Ireland in 1994.

Interests: Gaelic football.

Why he is in the news: He will remain as governor of the Central Bank until the introduction of the euro.