Fitzgerald disappointed in failure to find justice secretary general

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has said she is disappointed that a new Department of Justice secretary general has not been appointed, but stressed the importance of the "right person" getting the job.

Ms Fitzgerald confirmed the post would be re-advertised after a public service recruitment process failed to identify a successor to Brian Purcell, who asked to be moved from his position following the publication of a critical report on the Department.

“Obviously I’m disappointed but what’s really important in the long term is we get the right person,” she said.

“We will re-advertise again. I think obviously when the job was advertised some time ago there was a lot of focus on some of the problems as opposed to the reform so I would hope that the right people will apply.”

Ms Fitzgerald described the post as challenging and one of the most important jobs in the civil service.

“It’s critical that we get a suitable candidate. What’s really important is we get the right person for this job. We’re embarked on a programme, a very serious justice reform at present,” she said,

“This is a time of great opportunity and great challenge as far as justice reform is concerned and it’s critical that the right person leads the Department of Justice.”

Noel Waters, Director General of director general of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), will continue as acting secretary general.

Fianna Fáil will raise the issue in the Dáil next week. The party's justice spokesman Niall Collins said the fact that the post remained empty following the departure of Mr Purcell in July was a problem of the Government's own making.

“This is a problem the Government created. We have seen how they treat senior people in senior positions,” Mr Collins said.

“When the Government is asked to account politically or under political pressure, they seek to shift the blame...to avoid political accountability.”

The Dáil is currently in recess but business will resume next Tuesday. “It’s an issue we will be raising in the Dáil next week,” Mr Collins confirmed.

Mr Purcell was moved to a new position as head of compliance in the Health Service Executive after the publication of a report by an independent review group.

The group, chaired by Kevin Toland, found a "closed, secretive, silo-driven culture" at the department with "significant leadership and management problems".

Former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan’s retirement came shortly after Taoiseach Enda Kenny dispatched Mr Purcell to his home to discuss the matter.

The process to appoint a Secretary General is run by the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC).

In his new role, Mr Purcell will seek to ensure that all voluntary hospitals and agencies in receipt of funding from the HSE keep to their service agreements.