David Begg, the former general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, is to chair the Pensions Authority for a five-year term, the Tánaiste Joan Burton has announced.

Mr Begg will succeed Jane Williams, who has been chair of the authority since June 2010.

Ms Burton, who is also Minister for Social Protection, said that as as former union leader, Mr Begg’s “demonstrated ability to work with different perspectives will prove invaluable” to the pensions body, which is responsible for the reform and simplification of the Irish pensions system.

He has also spent periods as chief executive of Concern Worldwide, a director of the Central Bank and a member of the National Economic and Social Council. He is a director of the economic thinktank TASC and a former governor of the Irish Times Trust.