style="text-align: left;">On behalf of the Board of the International Fund for Ireland, the Chairman, Dr Denis Rooney CBE, has expressed great sadness at the passing of John McDaid, a former member of the Fund’s Board and of the Board of its venture capital company.

Paying tribute to Mr McDaid, Dr Rooney said: “John made an exceptional contribution to the work of the Fund and was an inspiring colleague to us all. As a chartered accountant, he had a strong eye for financial detail but it was his commitment to serving the community, in its broadest sense, which made his contribution so worthwhile and lasting.

“His service in the International Fund for Ireland was only one of many public roles that he fulfilled, all of them driven by his humanity, optimism and desire to help improve the life of others. He was a member of our Board at a time when the Fund was pushing forward its strategy of promoting reconciliation between Unionists and Nationalists in Northern Ireland and the six border counties of the Republic of Ireland. He approached this task with wisdom and enthusiasm, taking a deep interest in the projects we funded and in those who were working to build community relations.

“On behalf of the Fund, I extend our deepest sympathies to Pauline and the family.”