BISHOP of Derry Donal McKeown has been appointed the new chairman of the the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).
He replaces the former Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey, who stood down in March after it emerged that he had con-celebrated Mass with paedophile priest Fr Malachy Finegan in 2000.
Bishop McKeown, a former head of St Malachy's College in Belfast, has been a member of the CCMS council since 2001.
He is also a leading figure in the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education, which supports the removal of academic selection from Catholic grammars.
CCMS represents trustees, schools and governors on issues including raising and maintaining standards, the school estate and teacher employment.
It also has a wider role within the Northern Ireland education sector and contributes to policy on issues including curriculum review, academic selection, pre-school education, pastoral care and leadership.
