Noonan wants Finance boss by July

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said he would like a new secretary general of the department in place by the end of July.

“The budget this year will either be the 14th or 15th of October. It is important that the new secretary general has a two-month run in for the budget so I would like to see the new person in place in the last two weeks of July,” the minister said at a press conference to announce the Government’s €6.8bn Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.

The department’s current secretary, John Moran, announced his resignation from the position last Wednesday. Mr Noonan said he had an open mind about whether Mr Moran’s replacement would come from the civil service or the private sector.