Assistant Secretary, Maritime Services

Maritime Policy Division plays a crucial role in facilitating economic growth and prosperity as well as maintaining connectivity with our trading partners. The sector’s mission is to enable a safe, sustainable maritime sector that meets its international obligations and domestic needs, and protects Ireland’s economic interest as an island nation.

The Assistant Secretary has responsibility for:

• Leading on research, development and implementation of policy on climate, environment and sustainability, offshore renewable energy facilitation, climate change mitigation and adaptation for the maritime sector in order to make an effective transition to low carbon and sustainable maritime transport.
• Driving engagement across key stakeholders such as the port and shipping companies, electricity providers, fuel experts, climate change unit, and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on the rollout of onshore power supply infrastructure nationally for 2030 target date.
• Working closely with national, EU and international stakeholders across passenger services, freight services and shipping companies to ensure that our essential supply chains operate as efficiently as possible in the new post-Brexit trading environment.
• Management and oversight of the regulation of the safety, security, pollution prevention and living and working conditions of all Irish ships and crew; oversight of inspection of foreign flagged ships and crews in Irish ports, and management and oversight of the approval of port security plans;
• Oversight of a framework of port companies operating within the national transport chain of port services which are efficient, effective and adequate for the needs of our trading economy; to promote and support the maintenance of, and increase in, Irish based ship ownership/management and to foster economic development and employment in the sector;