Justice department seeks new boss ahead of Ireland’s presidency of the EU

The vacancy at secretary general comes as the current incumbent — Oonagh McPhillips — is retiring and is due to leave the post in April. File photo: Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland

The head of the Department of Justice — one of the most powerful positions in the State — is to have a new boss.

The vacancy at secretary general comes as the current incumbent — Oonagh McPhillips — is retiring and is due to leave the post in April. An advertisement to replace her has been placed on publicjobs.ie with a closing date of February 12. 

Ms McPhillips was appointed to lead the department in September 2020 and became the first woman to hold the position. She retires after 40 years in the civil service.

The vacancy comes at a demanding time for the Department of Justice in terms of overseeing the policing and security arrangements for Ireland’s presidency of the European Union, running from July to December.

The full title of the department is the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and covers a wide area that has expanded further in recent years.

This has included taking in the housing remit on immigration from the Department of Children — and the sizeable budget that comes with that.

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The department has also extended its national security responsibilities with the transfer of the National Cyber Security Centre and related civil service sections from the Department of Communications.

The department will also host the new National Security Authority, which will be set up in the coming years and will be tasked with the sensitive issues of security vetting and clearances, and safeguarding secret information.

Statutory bodies that come under the department include An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service and the Data Protection Commission as well as a host of policing, community safety and security oversight and inspection bodies.

Non statutory agencies include the Irish Prison Service, Office of State Pathologist and Forensic Science Ireland.

The garda commissioner reports to the minister of justice through the secretary general and there is constant communication between the police chief and the secretary general.

The information booklet for the secretary general position states: “In 2026, the department is responsible for over 4,600 people, with a budget of approx. €2.7 billion. It also sets the strategic direction for the wider justice sector which comprises more than 27,000 people with an operating budget of over €6 billion.” 

It says there are a number of strategies to be developed this year, including the next National Cyber Security Strategy, the Family Justice Strategy, as well as the first National Migration and Integration Strategy, Retail Crime Strategy, and National Strategy on Community Safety.

Ms McPhillips has served four ministers since her appointment as secretary general: Helen McEntee, Heather Humphreys, Simon Harris and current holder Jim O’Callaghan.

Originally from Drumcondra, north Dublin, Ms McPhillips joined the civil service directly from school in 1985.