New Secretary General to the Government named
The Government has agreed to appoint John Callinan as Secretary General to the Government, and Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach.
He replaces Martin Fraser, who will become Ireland’s ambassador to London this summer.
The appointment, made on the Taoiseach’s recommendation, will take effect from 3 May 2022.
Key Brexit role
Callinan has been the Second Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach since 2016, with responsibility for the division that deals with international and EU affairs, as well as Britain and Northern Ireland.
During this time, he was the Taoiseach’s ‘Sherpa’ (senior EU advisor), and played a key role in the Brexit negotiations.
Callinan joined the Department of the Taoiseach in 1998, and has worked closely with five successive Taoisigh.