Egan appointed as US ambassador to Ireland

Mr Egan: close relationship with Ireland

The US Senate has confirmed Mr Richard Egan as the next US ambassador to Ireland. Mr Egan was founder of the EMC Corporation, the US data storage systems company which has an operation in Cork.

Since 1999 he has been a member of George W Bush's information technology advisory council and last year he hosted a fundraiser for the Republican candidate at his Hopkinton estate home in Massachusetts.

At a meeting of the Senate’s foreign affairs committee earlier in the week Mr Egan spoke of his close relationship with Ireland and how EMC’s operation in Cork had necessitated many visits.

He also refuted claims that he had been fined for breaching the US election campaign contributions rules.

Mr Egan is due to travel to Dublin later this month.