Director General (Secretary General), Office of the Attorney General

Vacancy ID

484

Department/Authority

Office of the Attorney General 

Department/Authority Website

https://www.gov.ie/en/office-of-the-attorney-general/

Working pattern

Full-Time 

Advertising Date

28/11/2025
 

County

Dublin 

Location

Dublin

Closing Date for Application

08/01/2026, 15:00
 

Grade

Secretary General 

Contract

Fixed Term 

Type of role

Civil Service

Job summary

The Director General is responsible for the effective and efficient management and stewardship of the Office as a whole and any agency under its aegis, including financial responsibilities as Accounting Officer, providing legal advice to the Attorney General, Ministers and Departments, delivering outputs and outcomes, addressing cross-cutting matters and being accountable before Oireachtas Committees, as required. The Director General is, under the Attorney General, the Head of the Office as a whole within the meaning of the Public Service Management Act, 1997.  The position is equivalent to that of Secretary General. 

Main Duties of the Job

The duties involve a wide range of work of major public importance. They encompass advisory work and research in the fields of both domestic and international law including the work of the European Union, participation in the formulation of law at domestic and international levels and advice on the conduct of litigation in which the State is involved.

This senior position requires the Director General to take responsibility for the strategic leadership of the Office.  The Director General will also set the tone, leading an organisation with strong culture and values.

The Director General is the Accounting Officer for the Vote of the Office of the Attorney General (which includes the grant to the Law Reform Commission).

The Director General will also be a member of the Civil Service Management Board.

 To be eligible to compete

prospective candidates must, on or before the closing date for this competition –

• have been called to the Bar and be enrolled as a Barrister in the State or have been admitted and be enrolled as a Solicitor in the State, and
• have practised as a Barrister or Solicitor in the State for not less than ten

In addition, candidates must have:

• extensive knowledge of the law of the State and the law of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights;
• sound judgement and a commitment and attention to detail that is required for legislative drafting and by most aspects of legal work;
• a thorough knowledge of how a Government law office operates;

Information about the organisation

The function of the Attorney General under the Constitution is that of adviser to the Government in matters of law and legal opinion. The Office of the Attorney General as a whole, comprises three constituent parts: Advisory Counsel, Office of Parliamentary Counsel, and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office which provide an advisory service, a legislative drafting service and a solicitor/legal executive service.  The Office and the Attorney General advise Government as well as Government Departments and Offices. 

Selection Process Details

This is a Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) position.

Further information on this significant opportunity including details on how to apply, is available on www.publicjobs.ie

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday 8th January

If you feel you would benefit from a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Michelle Noone at michelle.noone@publicjobs.ie

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.