By nature, it likes to keep away from the public glare, but the Irish diplomatic machine is becoming more expansive – and as a result more conspicuous.
Last week saw an ambassadorial reshuffle that helped to highlight the growing nature of the operation.
Former top civil servant at the Department of Taoiseach, Martin Fraser is moving from his role as London ambassador to become ambassador to the United Nations (UN). It is part of a shake-up around the globe.
Joining Fraser on the move will be deputy secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Sonja Hyland – who will take up the London role; Alison Milton who is to become ambassador to France while Jonathan Conlon moves from Ukraine to Poland.
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There are also a large number of moves due in Asia and Africa.
Since 2018, the Department has added 25 new missions. Three new embassies have opened this year – with two more openings planned for 2026.
The increase in scope can be seen in departmental spending too.
Salary, wages and allowances for departmental staff stood at €143 million last year – up from €129 million in 2023.
The Government justifies this wider footprint by pointing out that this is a time of increased geopolitical strife and – as a small country – Ireland needs to maximise its influence and presence wherever it can.
It requires motivated individuals who are happy in many cases to move with their families to foreign postings. This might require shifting children out of their school and social circles for years at a time – with all the strain and stress that entails.
[ Martin Fraser to take up UN role in New York as part of ambassador reshuffleOpens in new window ]
Of course there are plum appointments – locations that are desirable and attractive places to work – but more challenging ones too.
“There are a lot of hard yards – diplomacy is not something that comes magically from the stem of a wine glass,” says Dan Mulhall, whose first diplomatic role abroad saw him move to New Delhi in 1980 at the age of 24.
“When I got the phone call that I was going to New Delhi, it was a complete shock for me. I was geared up for Paris or Geneva. It was quite a challenge to go there at that age,” he says.
At that time, says Mulhall, many appointees were expected to follow their postings wherever they might be. The process of assigning roles has become more amenable to people’s preferences over recent years – but you still “have to be willing to take the rough with the smooth”.
Mulhall, who also had stints in Brussels and Washington, says he found the work very rewarding – and that the embassy network makes life more comfortable than if one was travelling and working on their own.
Diplomacy is not something that comes magically from the stem of a wine glass
— Dan Mulhall
However, it does place a strain on families.
“My children went to seven or eight schools in my time. Their schooling was a bit choppy. They didn’t care at all for moving and always complained when we did. It is not an easy street for families.”
Mulhall also mentions the strain of being away from elderly relatives – his two parents died while he was stationed abroad.
Meanwhile, his former colleague Bobby McDonagh began around the same time in Ireland’s diplomatic service. Before ultimately ending up as an ambassador in London and Rome, he was first sent to Luxembourg in 1979.
“My wife is a diplomat and we were the first couple to get married to each other after the (Civil Service) marriage ban was lifted,” he says. “Our first child was six weeks old when I received the posting to Luxembourg, so Mary took a career break – and that went on and on.”
McDonagh talks about the isolation of working abroad in the late 70s and early 80s – and contrasts that to the more integrated existence of modern diplomacy.
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Phone calls were expensive, he says, and diplomats largely reached home by way of telex. While there was a paid trip home every 18 months – it was not a case where people could nip back and forth like is now possible.
“The stability of the children of diplomats depended on their parents. At home, you have the granny and the neighbourhood – in Luxembourg we didn’t know anyone there.”
McDonagh says his children had a great experience of growing up abroad – but their young age was a crucial factor. “It does depend on age – it becomes very difficult if the children are between the ages of 15 and 18.”
“Being a diplomatic spouse is hugely important – I couldn’t have done many of the things I needed to without Mary. To have somebody you can completely rely on for general judgment – being the spouse of a foreign diplomat is a very important role.”
This is a recurring theme when talking to diplomats. Their partners, in many cases, struggle to take their careers with them – while at the same time having to play what is essentially an unpaid support role.
The fact that modern living is now predicated on two incomes has made diplomatic life much more complicated
— Eamonn McKee
The financial challenge of taking a family around the world has only increased over recent years, says former ambassador to Korea and Israel, Eamonn McKee.
“Everybody depends on a double income these days,” he says. “Back in the day when women tended not to work – that was fine – but the fact that modern living is now predicated on two incomes has made diplomatic life much more complicated.”
McKee met his wife Mary Rae McGillis while working in Washington. She was a legislative staffer with US congressman Bruce Morrison. They went on to have three children together – two of whom were born in the US.
“When you are head of mission – your partner is very much working for the department,” says McKee. “They are helping to organise receptions – meeting with the public and engaging with them.
“They are very much part of your diplomatic presence”.
He says the diplomatic space is now much more crowded – and points to examples of prime ministers and presidents exchanging mobile phone numbers with one another. This means diplomats are sometimes scrambling to catch up on personal contacts that don’t always go through traditional routes.
Ireland’s ambassadors are now expected to make economic diplomacy a central part of the job. Business breakfasts, think-tank invites and lunches with chambers of commerce dominate many an agenda.
Nothing beats living in a country in order to understand it – you have to be on the ground
— Dan Mulhall
The disruptive policies of US president Donald Trump have ensured that this type of work stays to the fore. With free trade seemingly in decline – and new barriers emerging to foreign direct investment – the hunt is always on for new markets and new relationships.
McKee says the expansion of State agencies abroad has increased the workload. The presence of a local IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland office in a particular location means more functions and meetings to attend.
[ Obituary: Diplomat who played key role in navigating Anglo-Irish relationshipsOpens in new window ]
Mulhall describes the lifestyle and support available to an Irish diplomat abroad as “average” when compared to other western European missions – but the Irish foreign service “runs a fairly tight ship”.
He points out that Irish diplomats continue to pay their tax at home – and if someone wants a really lucrative career abroad they are better off working for a multinational company.
All three retirees, however, have little complaint about their postings down through the years and say it was an honour to be able to represent their country.
McKee says the foreign service is as crucial as it ever was. “Nothing beats living in a country in order to understand it – you have to be on the ground. The work of the foreign diplomat will always be essential.”
