Special adviser on food quits after five months

A SPECIAL adviser appointed by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has left after just five months in the job.

Fergal Leamy, a former chief executive of Greencore USA, is moving to London to work for a private equity group.

Mr Leamy, who was responsible for advising on food and food safety issues, was the best-paid Government adviser outside the Department of the Taoiseach, with a salary of €130,000 per annum.

Mr Coveney confirmed yesterday that his senior adviser had been headhunted to work in industry.

“I was a bit disappointed because he’s a good guy, but I’m not going to stand in the way of anyone’s career path.” He said he had asked Mr Leamy to stay on for a month to finish up his existing work, which he had done.

At Greencore Mr Leamy worked with the Minister’s brother Patrick Coveney, who is chief executive of the parent company.

Separately, the Cabinet yesterday confirmed the appointment of Mark Doherty as special adviser to the chief whip Paul Kehoe, and Peter Sullivan as special adviser to Attorney General Máire Whelan.

The appointments of Mark Kennelly, Andrew McDowell, Paul O’Brien and Angela Flanagan as special advisers in the Department of the Taoiseach were also formally approved.