Ms. Johnston runs her own public affairs and management company Blue Yard.  She is the presenter of a weekly show called Taking Stock on Newstalk and is a regular contributor to Irish print and broadcast media. Ms. Mandy Johnston has held senior positions at the highest levels of Government, politics, business, and the media in Ireland. Mandy was first female by the Irish Government to the position of Government Press Secretary – appointed in 2002 she served for five years, prior to that she was Press Director at the Department of Finance where she also served for five years.  In 2007 she was appointed Special Advisor at the Department of Taoiseach with special responsibility for Northern Ireland Affairs during the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly.  She has been Director of Communications in three successive and successful Irish General Election Campaigns and has also served as the Director of Communications for Dublin City University.