The Cabinet yesterday appointed Mr Dermot Gallagher Secretary-General of the Department of Foreign Affairs to replace Mr Padraic MacKiernan when he steps down in July.
Currently Secretary-General in the Department of the Taoiseach, Mr Gallagher will be replaced in Government Buildings by the highly-regarded Mr Dermot McCarthy, who will stay on as Secretary-General to the Government.
The return to Iveagh House for Mr Gallagher, who previously was second secretary there and ambassador to Washington, is hardly a surprise, though a number of hopefuls in the Department of Foreign Affairs will be disappointed.
He will take up duty on July 6th from Mr MacKiernan, who announced his decision to stand down a month ago. Yesterday, the Government paid tribute to him for his contribution.
The Cabinet has decided to appoint him to "a senior ambassadorial post in Europe". Last night, there was speculation that this could mean Paris.
Mr Gallagher will face a number of tasks in Iveagh House, including the implementation of the Good Friday agreement and the completion of Ireland's term on the United Nations Security Council. In addition, he will lead preparations for Ireland's European Union presidency in 2004, the next EU Inter-Governmental Conference and increasing the number of Ireland's foreign missions.
During his time in Washington Mr Gallagher was regarded as one of the shrewdest figures on Capitol Hill and greatly increased Irish influence there. In the past, he served as ambassador to Nigeria. He left Iveagh House to join Mr Michael O'Kennedy during the latter's time as EU commissioner.
The decision to appoint Mr McCarthy as both Secretary-General to the Government and the Department of the Taoiseach is a major change within the Civil Service.
A second secretary at the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for Northern Ireland, EU and international affairs will shortly be appointed.
