Jim Breslin

Jim Breslin enjoyed a 30 year career in the Irish senior public service, spanning both central government and the health service. He was Secretary General of three different Government Departments. He was first appointed Secretary General in 2011 to lead the establishment of the new Department of Children and Youth Affairs. From 2014 to 2020 he was Secretary General of the Department of Health. From 2020 to 2023 he led the newly established Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. His qualifications include a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, an MSc (Econ) from Trinity College/Institute of Public Administration, a Certificate in Business and Climate Change from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cambridge and a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors. He held a Policy Leader Fellowship at the Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge.