Nigel Williams has been in charge of internet child protection charity

Nigel Williams was named as Commissioner for Children and Young People on Thursday.

He was selected by young people themselves from 39 international applicants.

Mr Williams is currently the chief executive of the internet child protection charity Childnet International.

Originally from Limavady, the married father-of-four began his career as a civil servant in Northern Ireland.

The former Liberal Democrat councillor in London is to resign from the party to emphasise his political independence, before taking up the �75,000 per year job in October.

He has been involved in several charity and children's organisations and was appointed by the Home Secretary in 2001 to the Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet.

This is the first appointment of its kind in Northern Ireland, and only the second in the UK following a similar role set up in Wales.

The office, aimed at providing a specific voice for children and standing up for their rights, has an annual budget of �2m.

'Historic'

Announcing the appointment at a primary school in east Belfast, Northern Ireland Minister Angela Smith said: "This is an historic day for the children and young people of Northern Ireland.

"They now have a champion to speak for them, someone to ensure that their rights are safeguarded and respected."

She said Mr Williams would have the widest powers of any children's commissioner in the world.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said it was an "important day" for all children and young people in Northern Ireland.

Children's charities in Northern Ireland have welcomed the appointment of Mr Williams.

Teresa Devlin of the NSPCC said the commissioner would "play a crucial role in a range of ways in the lives of children in Northern Ireland".

Child Care NI said the post represented "the culmination of many years of dedicated work by the children's voluntary sector in Northern Ireland".