The board of Rehab Group has appointed Angela Kerins as group chief executive designate. She will succeed Frank Flannery who is retiring later this year.

The organisation, which has an annual turnover of € 160 million, delivers services to more than 60,000 people each year across a network of 200 centres in Ireland and the UK run by some 3,000 staff. Ms Kerins is being promoted from the position of director of group development and public affairs.

She also held the position of chief executive of RehabCare, the health and social care division of the group.

"This is an historic time for people with disabilities in Ireland. For the very first time we now have a national strategy, disability legislation and a € 1 billion investment fund that can improve the lives of the many hundreds of thousands of adults and children with disabilities in Ireland," Ms Kerins said.

She also said it was important not to forget the position of elderly people in society.