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A former journalist who spent almost 20 years working with tabloid newspapers in Ireland and the UK has been appointed the government’s new press secretary.
Paul Clarkson will take up his new role on Monday, replacing Lisa-Dee Collery, who is shifting her focus to Brexit and working with Taoiseach’s new Shared Island Unit.
Clarkson, born in Belfast, said The Irish Times her new role “is clearly going to be a big challenge and that’s part of the appeal.”
He said that when he returned to Ireland last August, after more than four years working in London, he did so with the aim of “trying to help the country in whatever way I can.
“I’ve been in journalism for 20 years and I guess I’m taking a beaten path. I wanted to do something different when I got back and, like most journalists, I am addicted to politics, so when this opportunity arose, I was excited and honored and grabbed it with both hands. “
He acknowledged that working as a press secretary in today’s climate would not be easy.
“Ireland is facing so many huge challenges, including Covid-19 and Brexit, and we all know how difficult 2020 has been for everyone,” he said.
He expressed the hope that 2021 would be brighter.
Mr. Clarkson worked as a news editor for the Irish Mirror before joining the Irish Sun staff in December 2005.
He was appointed deputy editor of that newspaper in 2009 and then became its editor in 2013.
In 2016, the father of three became managing editor in the Sun’s London office, where he worked until August this year.
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