The former director general of the Irish Prison Service, Mr Seán Aylward, has been named as the new general secretary of the Department of Justice. Mr Aylward's appointment was announced yesterday. He replaces Mr Tim Dalton.
Mr Aylward's tenure at the head of the Irish Prison Service ended last week when his five-year contract expired. He has been the only director general of the prison service since it was created in 1999. Up to that point it had operated as a unit within the Department of Justice.
Mr Aylward (48) is a married man from Dublin and has a primary degree and masters degree from the Irish Management Institute.
He was formerly a private secretary to two taoisigh, Mr Charles Haughey and Mr Jack Lynch. He began his career in the public service with the Department of Defence. Before becoming director general of the prison service he worked for many years in the Department of Justice.
As principal officer within the Department he was the head of the Garda division and the prisons division. He was later appointed assistant secretary of the Department and had responsibility for personnel. He is also a former head of the immigration and asylum unit within the Department.
He, along with others, helped frame the legislation which provided for the creation of the Courts Service. He was appointed director general of the prison service in July 1999, and was responsible for the establishment of a transition group which oversaw the early development of the new independent body.
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