Tony McCusker – Former Senior Civil Servant
Tony retired early in 2005 following a career in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, the last 20+ years as a member of the Senior Civil Service. During his career he has undertaken some of the most complex and politically sensitive jobs in government including legislation, strategic and policy analysis/development, negotiations, programme delivery of multi-million pound budgets and networking in political and voluntary and private sectors. Key appointments have included Deputy Secretary and Head of Policy Group at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development from January 2002 to August 2005 and Director of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister from December 1999 to January 2002.
Tony has been the main adviser to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister as Joint Chairmen of NI Executive and the Executive’s representative on the Business Committee of the Assembly, and chaired the negotiations to agree the North/South elements of the Good Friday Agreement, leading to the establishment of North/South bodies, the North/South Ministerial Council and the Joint Secretariat of the North/South Ministerial Council.
