Former Brian Cowen adviser appointed as NCC chair

Peter Clinch, one-time advisor to former taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has been appointed chair of the National Competitiveness Council.

He replaces Don Thornhill who recently retired. Mr Clinch is the Jean Monnet Professor of Economic Integration at UCD.

Minister for Jobs and Enterprise, Richard Bruton, said Professor Clinch will have a new “focus on productivity as well as competitiveness and to propose solutions to specific competitiveness issues that impact on business”.