THE Department of Home Affairs has appointed a new chief executive officer.

Mark Kelly will take up the position towards the end of February. He succeeds Will Greenhow who became chief secretary on January 1.

Mark will take responsibility for the department which encompasses the police, fire and rescue service, prison service, probation service, communications division, emergency planning and civil defence.

Home Affairs Minister Adrian Earnshaw MHK said: "I am very pleased to welcome Mark and feel he will settle in quickly and lead the department with great conviction and enthusiasm.

"We have a skilled and professional team in place at Home Affairs who will work closely with Mark to maintain the high level of public confidence in our services."

Mark has served in a variety of senior government positions since joining the Isle of Man Civil Service in 1983.

He was deputy chief executive of the Department of Health and Social Security in 1995 and was then appointed to the Department of Trade and Industry in a similar capacity in 2005.

During 2010 he completed a five-month secondment to the Department of Home Affairs as acting chief executive officer before accepting the role of chief operating officer at the Department of Economic Development.

Mark said: "I am delighted and honoured to be appointed chief executive officer of the Department of Home Affairs and relish the opportunity to lead the department through the challenging times ahead.

"Home Affairs provides services which make an immediate difference to people's lives often in difficult circumstances.

"I am proud to take responsibility for ensuring that those services are of the highest quality, working with a talented and dedicated team across the Department of Home Affairs divisions."