Department Management

The Secretary General of the Department, Mr. Brian Purcell, is the senior civil servant and non-political head of the Department. The Secretary General is charged with the Department’s day-to-day management and with its non-political strategic planning and direction. He is assisted by the Department’s Management Advisory Committee.

The Secretary General is also the Department’s Accounting Officer and in this capacity is responsible for safeguarding the funds under its control and the propriety of procurement and other financial transactions, as well as for economy and efficiency in the administration of the Department generally. 

The Management Advisory Committee is chaired by the Secretary General and composed of the Assistant Secretaries and other senior officials who head up the following functions within the Department: 

• Anti-Human Trafficking
  Marion Walsh, Director, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit
  
  
• Civil Law Reform and Courts Policy
  Assistant Secretary Robert Browne
  
  
• COSC - the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
  Éimear Fisher, Executive Director, COSC
  
  
• Crime, Security, Northern Ireland, Mutual Assistance and Extradition
  Assistant Secretary Ken O’Leary
  
  
• Criminal Law Reform, Prisons and Probation and Welfare Policy
  Assistant Secretary Jimmy Martin
  
  

• Equality
  Assistant Secretary Diarmuid Cole
  
  

• Garda Síochána
  Assistant Secretary Michael Flahive
  
  
• Human Resources, Corporate Services, Organisation Development, Project Development, Finance, Internal Audit and IT
  Assistant Secretary Deirdre O'Keeffe
  
  
• Irish Prison Service
  (Position currently vacant), Director General, Irish Prison Service
  
  
• Reception and Integration Agency
  Assistant Secretary Steve Magner
  
  
• Youth Justice
  Michelle Shannon, Director, Irish Youth Justice Service