School of Law Careers Event – Careers in the Public Service

3 Mar 2025

The School of Law was delighted to collaborate with UCC Law Society to host a careers event on 24 February 2025 with Oonagh Buckley, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.  

A UCC Law graduate and Adjunct Professor at the School of Law, Oonagh’s distinguished career in the public service spans a wide range of senior leadership roles.

Prior to taking up her current role as Secretary General, Oonagh served as Interim Chair of An Bord Pleanála, on secondment from her role as Deputy Secretary General in the Department of Justice with responsibility for civil justice matters, including immigration, courts and civil and family law.  Oonagh had previously held the position of Director General in the Workplace Relations Commission.  Before that she worked at a senior level in a number of Government Departments, including the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, Environment and Foreign Affairs. In her previous time in the Department of the Environment, she worked for a number of years on planning policy and legislation and on wildlife conservation.

Oonagh delivered a highly engaging account of her career to date and highlighted the diverse and impactful nature of a career in the public service.  A lively Q&A session followed.  The event provided unique insights into the wide range of career options in the public service.

The School of Law acknowledges UCC Law Society’s important role in promoting this event and in particular the work done by Ronan Byrne, External Liaison Officer and PRO Enrika Kamantauskaite.

During her visit to UCC, Oonagh was a keynote speaker at the Sustainable Futures Forum held in the Glucksman Gallery on 25 February, where she spoke on the theme ‘Climate Action in Ireland’ and participated in the expert panel discussion on ‘Towards a Net-Zero Future’.