THE US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has appointed a Tipperary native as her special economic envoy to Northern Ireland.
Declan Kelly (41), from Portroe in Co Tipperary, who was an adviser to Ms Clinton during her campaign for the US presidency, is making his first visit to the North today in his capacity as the special envoy.
Mr Kelly, a former journalist who has enjoyed a successful business career in the US, is accompanying the new American ambassador in London Louis Susman to Belfast today where they will meet local business leaders. He is a brother of Alan Kelly, who won a seat for Labour in Munster in the recent European Parliament elections.
He is a former vice-president of FTI, a global business consultancy which employs 3,500 people.
He also serves on the American Ireland Fund and is chairman of the US Foundation Board of NUI Galway, where he once studied.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen welcomed the appointment, saying it was “another clear signal of the continuing commitment of the United States to the peace process and to building prosperity throughout the island of Ireland.
“Declan has a wealth of business experience in the United States and internationally, as well as a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities we have here at home in Ireland. I have valued his advice in recent years and I know that he will bring passion, optimism and ambition to his new role.”
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said: “The promotion of economic development in Northern Ireland and the strengthening of economic ties with the United States is of importance to all of us on this island.”
