THE just-launched Institute of Public Administration 1999 Yearbook and Diary is now so bulky, according to editor Tony McNamara, that to prevent its spine splitting they are considering dropping the letters after people's names in future editions. That, he said, should save eight pages next year and allow for more expanded coverage of Northern Ireland. It should also create a number of angry entrants.
The DG John Gallagher announced the IPA is building a new 6,000-square-foot block behind its offices on Dublin's Lansdowne Road with a 200seater state-of-the art conference centre. It got temporary planning permission 30 years ago. It will be called the Barrington/O'Reilly Pavilion after Tom Barrington, the first director, and John O'Reilly, who was head of customs and excise in the 1940s and 1950s, pioneer of staff development and had a famous son, Tony who has donated $1m to the project.
At the launch was the new president of the IPA, Dermot Nally, secretary to the government for 13 years, up to his retirement five years ago. Now a freelance consultant on government, he has travelled extensively throughout Eastern Europe, advising the new administrations on how to run affairs of state. He is also looking at the prosecution service, the DIT, communications regulations, Northern Ireland and cabinet confidentiality.