US antitrust lawyer Ms Carolyn Galbreath has been appointed as a member of the Competition Authority.
As a trial attorney at the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice, she prosecuted international criminal cartel cases and litigated corporate mergers.
In 1999, Ms Galbreath was awarded a UK Atlantic Fellowship in Public Policy to study European Union mergers and competition law modernisation.
Announcing the appointment, the Minister for Enterprise Michael Martin said: "I see Ms Galbreath's appointment as a further step in advancing the competition agenda in this country. She is very well qualified for the position and I have no doubt the Authority will benefit from the considerable experience and expertise she will bring to it."
Ms Galbreath will take up the position on April 18th 2006.