Richard Shakespeare appointed Dublin City Council chief executive

The appointment of Richard Shakespeare to replace Owen Keegan as chief of Dublin City Council has been approved by the council.

Mr Shakespeare, who has been acting chief executive since Mr Keegan’s retirement in September, was selected following a recruitment process conducted by the Public Appointments Service, but his appointment had to be ratified by the councillors before he could officially take up the position.

Speaking following the council meeting, which was held in private, Mr Shakespeare said he was “delighted” by his appointment. “I am a proud Dubliner, so to be appointed to this important position for the city is a great honour. I look forward to the next seven years and to working with the councillors to deliver for the citizens of Dublin and the city.”

Mr Shakespeare is a qualified landscape horticulturalist and engineer with over 30 years’ experience in local government. Before taking up the position of chief executive, he held the position of assistant chief executive with responsibility for the Planning and Property Development Department and Culture, Recreation and Economic Services.

Table 45 review: Bar off Merrion Square transformed into new tapas restaurant full of home-made warmth

---

Something has to give as Leinster and Northampton put double ambitions on the line

---

Michael Harding: A funeral reminds me of the sweetness of silence, when conversation was more than just chatter

---

The Fall Guy review: Who ordered a half-baked revival of a Lee Majors TV show? Anyone?

---

He joined the city council in 2017 after almost 18 years with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, where he had started as a parks superintendent.

• Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
• Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
• Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here