Paul Gallagher to step down as Attorney General, Supreme Court told

Attorney General Paul Gallagher has told the Supreme Court he is to retire from the position he has held for two years under the current Government.

While the Attorney did not specifically state when he will retire, it is expected he will do so around the time of the Government changeover on December 17th.

Mr Gallagher (67), a very experienced constitutional and commercial lawyer, took up the post of Attorney General in June 2020. He previously held it from 2007-2011 during which he advised on the bank guarantee scheme and the establishment of the National Assets Management Agency.

On Friday, during his tribute to retiring Supreme Court judge, Mr Justice John MacMenamin, the Attorney told a packed court that the judge will be the last whom he will address prior to his retirement in his role.

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Speculation has been mounting in legal and political circles in recent months about Mr Gallagher’s expected retirement and about his successor as Attorney General.

[ Paul Gallagher: AG whose private case work thrust him into controversy ]

Fine Gael will have the final say on the new attorney general because of the agreement between the Coalition parties that the position was to be nominated by the Taoiseach for each period of the government. Mr Gallagher took up the role in June 2020 on the nomination of Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Among the names being mentioned as his possible successor are senior counsel Rossa Fanning, Patrick Leonard and Patrick McCann, who is a trustee of Fine Gael. Solicitor and senior counsel Áine Hynes is another name featuring in the speculation.