The chief executive officer of the Eastern Health Board has been appointed chief executive designate of the new Courts Service.
Mr P.J. Fitzpatrick's £86,600-a-year appointment on a seven-year contract was agreed by the Transitional Board of the Courts Service on Monday night and is subject to the finalisation of his contract.
This is expected within the next few days. It is envisaged he will take up the position in January.
The Courts Service was established following a report from a Working Group on a Courts Commission, chaired by Ms Justice Denham.
The Transitional Board held its first meeting on May 24th. It will become the new Courts Service Board within a year, with a brief to manage the courts, to provide support services for the judges, provide information on the courts to the public, manage and maintain court buildings and provide facilities for users of the courts.
Mr Fitzpatrick will effectively be managing director of the whole courts service, which has a staff of over 900 and provides services for 107 judges. As well as reporting to the board, he is a member of it, and will be able to put his own proposals to it.
One of the innovations to be introduced is a communications office and a press officer.
At present the courts have a budget of about £26 million, and the 1999 budget is being decided. In 2000 the Courts Service Board will submit its own budget directly to the Department of Finance.
Mr Fitzpatrick has extensive experience in the management of organisations employing large numbers of staff and in the devising and implementation of major information technology programmes, which will be an important part of the new courts service.
He emerged as the leading candidate from about 60 contenders from both the public and private sectors. A native of Cootehill, Co Cavan, Mr Fitzpatrick is 46, and married with three sons and a daughter.
