Permanent Secretary

Mr Paul Sweeney was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure on 27 March 2006. Previously he was Deputy Secretary in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) where he had responsibility for a range of issues including oversight of the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative.

Mr Sweeney, a native of Derry, graduated with a B.Sc. in Social Administration from the University of Ulster in Coleraine in 1979. Following a period of employment in community development and community education he joined the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust in 1983, serving as Director of the Trust from 1987 to 1994.

In 1994 he was seconded as an adviser to Government in Northern Ireland on community development and regeneration. He joined the Senior Civil Service in 1998 and from 2000 to 2004 he was Deputy Secretary in the Department for Regional Development with responsibilities for spatial planning and transport.

He is married with four children and lives in Belfast.