Taking the helm: Permanent secretary Peter May.

The article focuses on Peter May who has been appointed to the position of Northern Ireland Department of Justice's (DoJ) new permanent secretary in September 2018 from the same role within the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), taking up his third permanent secretary position. He became known in 2017 when his decision to grant planning permission to the Arc21 incinerator project was overturned by the High Court. The main challenges facing May within the DoJ are also explored.