Party. In the 1995 election, Ryan was re-elected to the municipal council and county council, and subsequently appointed deputy mayor of Namsskogan and the county's executive board. In 1996, he was appointed to the board of a government committee to grant subsidies to local stores in remote locations. The same year he became a deputy board member of Nord-Trøndelag University College, and from 1999 until 2001 he was a regular member. From 1998 to 2002, he also sat on the board of Trøndelag R&D Institute. Following the 1999 election, Ryan was re-elected to the municipal and county councils, and was appointed to the county's executive board. From 1999 to 2001, Ryan sat on the board for Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS). Ryan also sat in the KS-appointed Stand Committee, led by Morten Strand, that suggested to reduce the number of directorate and reduce the influence of the county governors. Parliament and national politics Prior to the 1993 parliamentary election, Ryan was one of three nominee candidates for the Socialist Left Party's list in Nord-Trøndelag. Ryan was nominated on third place on the list, after Jorunn Hageler and Inge Staldvik. Hageler was elected to parliament, and Ryan was her second deputy during the term 1993 to 1997. Prior to the 1997 election, Ryan was launched as an alternative top candidate for Nord-Trøndelag. At the nomination meeting, Hageler won 23 against Ryan's 13 votes, and Ryan was placed on second place on the list. After the nomination, Hageler stated that she regretted having said that Ryan was less suitable to sit in parliament than she was, because of his down-to-earth appeal and informal dress code. The party failed to win a seat from the county in 1997. Ryan was a possible candidate to become deputy party leader of his party in 1997, but was instead appointed as central board member. He became deputy leader in 1999, a position he held until 2001. In the 2001 election, Ryan was the party's top candidate in the county, and succeeded in winning a seat. The party had its best election ever, including in Nord-Trøndelag, where it won 13.8% of the votes, up 7.5% compared to 1997. Ryan became a member of the party's largest parliamentary group ever. During the parliamentary term from 2001 to 2005, Ryan was a member of the Standing Committee on Business and Industry and the Election Committee. He