Independent News & Media (IN&M) has appointed a senior civil servant to its board in a non-executive capacity. Mr Frank Murray served as private secretary to the Taoiseach and secretary general to the Government from 1993 to 2000.

The move is regarded as an attempt by the company to bolster the independence of the board and follows the appointment of Baroness Jay, an ex- British Minister of State, as non-executive director in June.

But a spokesman said it was not a precursor to plans for the separation of the role of chairman and chief executive within the group.

Mr Murray is vice-president of the Institute of Public Administration and chairman of its education committee.

He is also chairman of the Department of Foreign Affairs appointment committee and Commissioner of the civil service, where he previously served on the Top-Level Appointment Committee.

He was recently appointed as an independent reviewer of complaints for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

In addition to serving as private secretary to the Taoiseach and secretary general to the government, Mr Murray was principal officer in the Northern Ireland and International Affairs division of the Department of the Taoiseach from 1977 to 1983

He also served as assistant secretary general to the Government from March 1983 to January 1993.

Mr Neil Clifford of Goodbody Stockbrokers said: "Mr Murray has a long, distinguished career as a civil servant and his appointment is almost certainly an attempt to improve the independence of the board."

Some long-serving directors at IN&M were expected to step down in the near future, he added.