The search for a new secretary general for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continues, following the departure of former incumbent Aidan O’Driscoll earlier this month.

The Public Appointments Service (PAS) – on behalf of The Top Level Appointments Committee – is holding an open competition for the post of secretary general, a spokesperson for the department has confirmed.

The job was advertised on PAS’s website on Friday, July 20, and the competition is currently ongoing, the spokesperson added.

O’Driscoll left the position to take up the position of secretary general for the Department of Justice and Equality on September 1.

He was appointed secretary general in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in January 2015.

At the announcement of O’Driscoll’s move, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed commented: “It has been a great pleasure to work with him over the course of the last few years and he has given dedicated service to the agriculture sector.”

Dowling takes press officer role

In other department news, Siobhan Dowling has been appointed as the new Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine press officer.

Dowling replaces Kevin Galligan as press officer for the department.