A 32-year-old businesswoman has been appointed chief executive of the Western Development Commission. Ms Lisa McAllister, who is the general manager of Sligo company Heron and Son Ltd, has been on the board of the Ballaghaderreen-based WDC since it was established in 1997.
She previously worked as an administrator with the lobby group, the Council for the West. She is one of the youngest people and one of very few women to hold the position of chief executive of a semi-state organisation.
Ms McAllister said urgent action was needed to achieve balanced economic and social development. A "State of the West" report, published in July by the WDC, had highlighted the measures which were needed.
As yet, there was no indication from the Government that it was going to implement many of the report's recommendations.
Infrastructure investments included in the NDP for the west, needed to be fast-tracked.