Towards the end of the month, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed will be handed a list of three names and invited to approve one as the new secretary general of the Department of Agriculture.

The first name will be the one recommended by the Public Appointments Service and the Top Level Appointments Committee for the €197,116 per annum role. But, as usual, the Minister will be allowed pick the individual he deems best from the shortlist. All going well, the successful candidate will be ready to take up the reins in September, before Aidan O’Driscoll departs to head up the Department of Justice.

The minister will have to decide which candidate will be best able to deal with the challenges ahead, most critically Brexit and CAP reform. The Department’s 3,000 staff, along with the farm organisations and agri-food industry, will hope he makes a wise choice. The closing date for applications is 16 August.