New Permanent Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced

16 January 2013

The Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Dr Malcolm McKibbin, has announced that Noel Lavery will take up the appointment of Permanent Secretary at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) from 1 March 2013. Noel Lavery is currently the Accounting Officer and Director of Resources, Regeneration, International Relations and Institutional Review in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Noel Lavery was born and educated in Belfast. He is a chartered accountant by profession and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

He joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service in 2001 and became Finance Director for the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment. He joined the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in 2009.

Noel is married with two daughters and is heavily involved in his local church. He is an avid sports fan including golf, soccer, rugby, cricket and running. In 2010 he completed his first marathon in Belfast and has since successfully completed three other marathons.