TÁNAISTE AND Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore has secured approval for 11 new ambassadorial nominations at a meeting of the Cabinet.
All of the nominees are subject to formal approval by the host governments. In the case of six of the posts, the outgoing ambassador is retiring or has recently retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Kenneth Thompson, Ireland’s Ambassador to India, has been nominated to be Ambassador to Turkey, a posting which will also include responsibility for Azerbaijan, Iran and Pakistan.
He will replace Tom Russell, who is retiring.
Feilim McLaughlin, director for emergency and recovery at the Department of Foreign Affairs’ development co-operation division, has been nominated to be Ambassador to India, a posting which also includes Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Angela O’Farrell, deputy director at the trade and promotion division, has been nominated to be Ambassador to Norway to replace Gary Ansbro, who is retiring.
Alison Kelly, the department’s deputy political director, has been nominated to be Ambassador to the Czech Republic, which also includes responsibility for Ukraine.
She will replace Richard Ryan, who is retiring.
James Carroll, Ireland’s representative to the Palestinian Authority, has been nominated to be Ambassador to Sweden, replacing Dónal Hamill, who has retired.
Dympna Hayes, also deputy director of the department’s trade and promotion division, has been nominated to be representative to the Palestinian Authority, replacing Mr Carroll.
Michael Forbes, director for Europe and Asia and former ambassador to Israel, is to be Ambassador and permanent representative to the OECD and Ambassador and permanent delegate to Unesco, both based in Paris. He will replace Paul Murray, who returns to department headquarters in Dublin.
Éamonn Mac Aodha, on secondment as chief executive of the Irish Human Rights Commission, has been nominated to be Ambassador to Belgium to replace Tom Hanney, who has been appointed deputy permanent representative of Ireland to the EU.
Noel White, at present director of the department’s press and information section, has been nominated to be Ambassador to Australia, a posting which includes responsibility for New Zealand, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. He will replace Máirtín Ó Fainín, who has retired.
Oliver Grogan, the Ambassador to Iran, is to be Ambassador to Romania and Moldova, replacing John Morahan, who is retiring.
Brian McElduff, chargé at the Embassy to the Czech Republic, has been nominated to be Ambassador to Slovakia. He replaces Katherine Coll, who returns to department headquarters.
11the number of new ambassadors nominated
6the number of ambassadors who are retiring or have retired