Dr. Orlaigh Quinn

Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in Ireland

Dr. Orlaigh Quinn

As Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in Ireland, Dr Orlaigh Quinn advises Government and leads the Department and its offices and agencies in promoting the creation of high-quality and sustainable full employment; by championing enterprise, supporting and incentivising a competitive and innovative research and enterprise base, negotiating international trade agreements and promoting fair and competitive employment and markets.

A career civil servant, she has held leadership positions across several public bodies; spearheading reform of Ireland’s public and civil service at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and as Head of Corporate and Head of National Pensions in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. She has also led on EU and International Affairs and served as an expert adviser on employment and social policy at the European Commission.

She is a former Visiting Research Fellow of Trinity College Dublin and holds a Masters in Public Management and a Doctorate in Governance from Queen’s University Belfast. She is the author of two books on public policy topics.