Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses today. Mr. Ryan's history sounds exactly like the sort of history that we want. I would like to take him back to 1979. I was approached to become chairman of what became An Post at the same time as Michael Smurfit was made chairman of An Bord Telecom. We both said at the time that we did not know anything about these businesses and wondered what we would do. My first question was about the challenges, and I am going to ask Mr. Ryan that now. What does he see are the challenges?

My second question when I was appointed chairman of An Post was about the changes that I wanted and the third question was about the conditions I put down. Michael Smurfit put down a condition that he be paid £5,000. He was going to give it to charity but there was a limit on the amount that could be paid, at £1,500, and he wanted to establish that they were willing to break the rules to establish An Bord Telecom, which I thought was very good. My condition was that I would always be dealing with the Minister and not with the civil servant when I wanted to get through to him. We made two different choices. I said that I wanted to have an office in the middle of the GPO, but Michael Smurfit said he wanted a prestigious office far away from wherever Telecom Éireann was at the time. What does Mr. Ryan see as the challenges for the IDA? What are the changes that he would like? Did he make any conditions in accepting the job?