The Lemass Era is the term given to the period of economic change between 1959 and 1966 in the Republic of Ireland. It is so termed because the Taoiseach of Ireland at the time was Sean Lemass. During the Lemass Era, the IDA greatly refocused its efforts on attracting quality industry, RTE was created, whilst population decline and emigration halted somewhat, and the Programme for Economic Expansion was implemented.