Former Fianna Fáil minister Pat Carey has been appointed chairman of the Irish Red Cross. Mr Carey was nominated to the position by the board and started the new position on Saturday.

“I am looking forward to it,” Mr Carey said. “It will be mainly chairing board meetings and making sure it complies with corporate governance and financial governance.

“Internationally, the Red Cross is a very strong brand. The Red Cross at home, they are providing very many ambulance service and first aid courses around the country.

“They run some interesting courses in the prisons of preventing and reducing violence . I hope to build on it and help them build on it.”

Mr Carey is a former Fianna Fáil TD who lost his seat in the general election in 2011.