Professor Gerry Boyle has been appointed the new director of Teagasc, the State's agricultural research and advisory agency.
Professor Boyle is an international consultant on agricultural policy with the World Bank, having worked on projects in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
He is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the National University of Ireland and was head of the Economics Department at NUI Maynooth until June 2006. He is currently a senior associate at Farrell Grant Sparks Consulting.
He has written seven books and has completed over 36 major commissioned research reports. As director of Teagasc, will be responsible for over 1,500 people working at eight research centres, eight colleges and a Statewide advisory service for farmers.
The appointment is subject to contract agreement and the assent of Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan. He is due to take over from the acting director Tom Kirley on October 1st. He lives in his native county Tipperary and is married with four children.