GOVERNMENT PRESS secretary Eoghan Ó Neachtain presided over his final press conference at the Department of An Taoiseach yesterday.
Mr Ó Neachtain, who has served under three taoisigh, is stepping down after four years in the post. He served two Fianna Fail taoisigh, Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen, and remained on for the first 100 days of Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny’s stewardship.
Mr Ó Neachtain (53), a former Army officer who was director of communications for the ESB, was asked to take over as government press secretary after the 2007 general election. He is on leave of absence from the ESB, to which he is expected to return. From Spiddal in Co Galway, he is a native Irish speaker and regularly communicated with Mr Kenny in that language.
Former Fine Gael director of communications Feargal Purcell will now take over as Government press secretary.
