Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Jobs Dara Calleary has welcomed the appointment of Frank Ryan as Chairman designate of IDA Ireland.

Deputy Calleary said, “Frank Ryan will bring a wealth of experience to this hugely important role. His success in leading Enterprise Ireland for more than a decade speaks for itself.

“During his time at Enterpris Ireland, Mr Ryan showed true leadership and commitment in supporting business and job creation in key sectors. The agency’s strong reputation and the success of the Irish export sector in particular is a testament to his skills. I know that he will bring these crucial skills with him to the board of IDA Ireland. I look forward to Mr Ryan using his experience with Irish SMEs to ensure stronger links between Irish companies and those in the multi-national sector.

“I am hoping that as IDA Chairman, Frank Ryan can bring a renewed focus to regional parity at the agency. This has been lacking in recent years, and certain counties in the North West in particular have lost out significantly as a result. The work of IDA Ireland is more important now than ever before and it’s vital that every effort is made to attract foreign investment to the areas that have suffered most in the last few years.”