THE Department of Foreign Affairs has reached a settlement with a Filipino man employed at the Paris embassy for 17 years who was sacked by the incoming ambassador because she wanted a woman in the job.

The Department of Foreign Affairs failed to abide by French employment laws when it sacked a long-serving staff member at the Irish embassy in Paris, its former Secretary General claimed tonight.

The Department of Foreign Affairs tonight stood over its decision to sack an embassy employee with nearly 17 years service.