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The Government has appointed Mr John Callinan to the position of Second Secretary General in the Department of the Taoiseach.

Mr Callinan will lead a new integrated division within the Department with responsibility for supporting the Taoiseach in his work on EU, Northern Ireland, British-Irish and International affairs.

The appointment is part of a series of actions announced by the Taoiseach following the recent Brexit referendum.

This includes the strengthening of the EU policy role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as the strengthening of other key Departments, agencies and overseas missions.

Note for Editors:

Mr Callinan has been Head of the Economic and International Policy Division in the Department of the Taoiseach since 2011. In that position, he was centrally involved in Ireland's exit from the Troika programme and in the implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs.

He was also responsible for Northern Ireland policy and British-Irish relations from 2011 to 2015.

Prior to that, he served as Head of the EU Division in the Department of the Taoiseach for four years from 2007 to 2011.

He has also worked in the European Commission and in the Revenue Commissioners.