The Church Of Ireland
Press Release

Brian Parker, Press Officer

The Central Communications Board (CCB) of the Church of Ireland today announced that Mr Brian Parker has been contracted to act as Press Officer. He will be based in Belfast and will be responsible for managing a full range of press services throughout Ireland as well as providing support for the church's network of Diocesan Information Officers.

CCB Chairman, Bishop Richard Clarke, said: "This is a crucial arrangement as the Church of Ireland seeks to tackle all the challenges of effective communication in the modern media age. It is essential that we take seriously all opportunities for outreach available to us. I am delighted that we have someone of Brian Parker's calibre and experience working with us in this key area."

Mr Parker, who lives in Bangor, County Down, is a former head of information services in the Departments of Health and Environment in Northern Ireland. In the eighties and nineties he was senior press adviser to several NIO Ministers including John Patten, Chris Patten and Richard Needham.

A lifelong member of the Church of Ireland, Mr Parker's family hail from Arvagh in County Cavan. He is a member of St Columbanus Parish in Bangor, and has served the church in various capacities including churchwarden, vestryman and Diocesan Synodsman. He is a Lay Reader in the Diocese of Down and Dromore attached to St Mary's Parish, Comber, and is training for the Non Stipendiary Ministry.

Mr Parker was educated at Campbell College, Belfast. He is an honours graduate of the University of Ulster and holds a diploma in communications. He is married to Happy and they have two sons.

In his spare time Mr Parker enjoys gardening, golf and "going ga ga" with his baby granddaughter.

The vacant post of Director of Communications based in Church House, Dublin will be advertised later this month.