merrion street

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar has learned with sadness of the passing of Pádraig Ó hÚiginn, former Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach.  

Mr Ó hÚiginn served as Secretary General in the Taoiseach’s Department from 1982 to 1993. He also served in the Departments of Local Government and the Department of Economic Planning and Development. He had an extensive international career, in the United Nations, and the EU, and as Managing Director of An Foras Forbartha.

The Taoiseach said:

While his achievements prior to his arrival in the Taoiseach’s Department were many and merited, it was in his role as Chair of the National Economic and Social Forum that he gained his reputation as a skilled negotiator and consensus builder. This is evident from the landmark NESC Report on a Strategy for Development in 1986, which paved the way for an era of industrial peace and social partnership in the 1990s.

His stewardship and strategic leadership gave the Financial Services Centre in Dublin the impetus required to help it succeed.

His family can rightly take comfort from Pádraig Ó hÚiginn’s standing as one of the very best public servants.

To his wife Patricia, and children Mairin, Peader, Ciaran and Feargal and extended family, our sincerest condolences.

Ar deis De go raimh ar anim.