Press release
Government approves the nomination of 22 Ambassadorial and senior-level international appointments
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
On the recommendation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Coveney TD, the government today approved 22 Ambassadorial level nominations from currently serving staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs to be appointed in 2022, subject to agreement by the receiving States.
The government also took note of the appointment of 9 Consuls General to be appointed in the UK, US, India, Canada and France.
Of the 22 Ambassadorial and senior-level nominations, 11 are women and 11 are men. Including Consuls General appointed, today’s announcement brings to 18 the number of women taking up Head of Mission roles in 2022 out of a total of 31. Once all these appointments to bilateral and multilateral missions are in place in 2022, the percentage of female Heads of Mission will be 46%, up from 36% one year ago.
These decisions include the appointment of Heads of Mission for the opening of the four new Missions in 2022: an Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, and Consulates General in Miami, Lyon and Toronto.
Across the regions, two Ambassadors have been nominated in Africa, one in the Americas, five in the Asia Pacific region, seven in Europe and four in the Middle East and North Africa region. The Ambassadors nominated for appointment in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates will take on coordination functions for the Missions in the South-East Asia and Middle East and North Africa regions, respectively.
Commenting on the nominations, Minister Coveney said:
"I welcome these new appointments which are a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to deliver on the ambition of the Global Ireland programme by expanding our global footprint with the planned opening of four new Missions. This will bring to 18 the total number of new Missions opened under the Global Ireland initiative by the end of 2022.
"I am thankful to the men and women who represent Ireland throughout the world with such professionalism, loyalty and commitment. At a time of great international challenges – such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I have seen the value of the work they do in order to support Irish citizens abroad and promote Ireland’s recovery through effective international engagement.
"I am also pleased to see the ongoing efforts by the Department of Foreign Affairs in its efforts to reach an improved gender balance in senior-level positions both at headquarters and at our Missions abroad."
All Ambassadorial level appointments are subject to the agreement of the receiving State and in any reporting should be presented as nominations. References to “headquarters” below is to the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Ambassadorial and senior-level nominations approved by the government are as follows:
Mr. Laurence Simms, currently Director, Political Affairs and Reconciliation Unit, Ireland, UK and Americas Division at headquarters to be Joint Secretary to the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat in Belfast.
Ms. Cáit Moran, currently Director, Middle East Unit, Political Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to the Political and Security Committee at the Permanent Representation in Brussels.
Mr. Noel White, currently Ambassador to the Political and Security Committee at the Permanent Representation in Brussels to be Permanent Representative to the United Nations Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva.
Mr. Patrick Empey, currently Director, Business Support Unit, Development Cooperation and Africa Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Mozambique (and to Madagascar and Eswatini).
Mr. Derek Hannon, currently Ambassador to the Holy See to be Ambassador to Senegal (and Mali and The Gambia) to open the Embassy in Dakar.
Mr. Gerard McCoy, currently Ambassador to Saudi Arabia to be Ambassador to Argentina (and to Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay).
Mr. Damien Cole, currently Director, Policy Planning Unit at headquarters to be Ambassador to Japan.
Ms. Michelle Winthrop, currently Director, Policy Unit in the Development Cooperation and Africa Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (and to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)).
Ms. Jane Connolly, currently Director, Finance Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to New Zealand (and to Kiribati, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tonga, and the Cook Islands).
Ms. Sarah McGrath, currently Director, UN and Multilateral Unit, Development Cooperation and Africa Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Singapore (and to Brunei and Timor Leste).
Mr. Pat Bourne, currently Ambassador to Singapore to be Ambassador to Thailand.
Ms. Elizabeth McCullough, currently Director, UN Security Council Task Team, Political Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Denmark.
Mr. James Sherry, currently Deputy Director, EU-UK Unit, European Union Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Estonia.
Ms. Frances Collins, currently Deputy Director, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Unit, Political Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to the Holy See.
Ms. Séadhna MacHugh, currently Deputy Director, Communications Unit, Global Ireland and Economic Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Lithuania.
Ms. Caroline Whelan, currently Deputy Director, Business Support Unit, Development Cooperation and Africa Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Malta.
Mr. Patrick Haughey, currently Director, Middle East Unit, Political Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Poland.
Mr. Adrian Farrell, currently Deputy Director, International Security Policy Unit, Political Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Slovenia (and to Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Ms. Nuala O’Brien, currently Ambassador to Mozambique to be Ambassador to Egypt (and to Lebanon).
Ms. Marianne Bolger, currently Director, Human Resources Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Jordan (and to Iraq).
Mr. Gerard Cunningham, currently Director, Human Rights Unit, Political Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (and to Bahrain, Oman and Yemen).
Ms. Alison Milton, currently Director, British-Irish Relations Unit and International Fund for Ireland in the Ireland, UK and Americas Division at headquarters to be Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (and to Kuwait and Qatar).
Ms. Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, currently First Secretary at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York to be Consul General in Atlanta.
Mr. Robert Hull, currently Deputy Director, Political Affairs and Reconciliation Unit in the Ireland, UK and Americas Division at headquarters, to be Consul General in Austin.
Ms. Denise McQuade, currently Deputy Director, UN and Multilateral Unit, Development Cooperation and Africa Division at headquarters to be Consul General in Cardiff.
Ms. Ciara de Mora, currently First Secretary at Embassy Bogota to be Consul General in Lyon to open the Consulate General.
Ms. Sarah Kavanagh, currently Deputy Director, Human Rights Unit, Political Division at headquarters to be Consul General in Miami to open the Consulate General.
Ms. Anita Kelly, currently First Secretary at Embassy Abu Dhabi to be Consul General in Mumbai.
Mr. Micheál Smith, currently Director, Global Ireland Unit, Global Ireland and Economic Division at headquarters to be Consul General in San Francisco.
Ms. Janice McGann, currently Deputy Director, EU Policy Unit, European Union Division, to be Consul General in Toronto, to open the Consulate General.
Ms. Cathy Geagan, currently Deputy Director, Culture Unit, Global Ireland and Economic Division at headquarters to be Consul General in Vancouver.