Dermot McCarthy

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Dermot McCarthy is the Secretary-General to the Government of Ireland and Secretary-General to the Department of the Taoiseach (Office of the Irish Prime Minister). He occupies two of the three most senior offices in the Irish Civil Service.

Born in 1954 in Dublin, he attended Synge Street CBS school and Trinity College Dublin. At Trinity, he earned a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Literature, both in Economics.

He joined the Irish Civil Service shortly after graduating from Trinity and served in the Department of Industry and Commerce. From 1977, he worked at the Department of Health where he rose to the level of Assistant Secretary-General. He is married to Rosemary, a social worker. They have one son and live in Castleknock, Dublin.

Dermot McCarthy is regarded as socially conscious Catholic. He volunteered at St. Andrew's Resource Centre on Pearse Street, Dublin while attending Trinity College Dublin. Though afraid of flying, he attended Pope John Paul II's funeral and in inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 (travelling by ferry and by rail).

Dermot McCarthy has played an enormous role in the Social Partnership process in Ireland. In 1990 he was appointed director of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC). As Assistant Secretary-General in the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for the Economic and Social Policy Division from 1993 to 2000 he was a central figure in the Social Partnership agreements of that time. In January 2000 he became Secretary-General to the Government, replacing Frank Murray, (attending Cabinet meetings) and, in July 2001, he combined this role with Secretary-General to the Department of the Taoiseach (replacing Dermot Gallagher). He continued his prominent role in Social Partnership negotiations in these new positions.

Dermot McCarthy works closely with the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on Partnership and other issues and often accompanies him on official engagements in Ireland.

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