Diplomatic shake-up as 24 ambassadors named

THE Government hasapproved the biggest shake-up of Ireland’s diplomatic representation since the foundation of the State.

Wed, 20 Apr, 2005 - 01:00

Harry McGee, Political Editor

At the Cabinet meeting yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern got approval for 24 ambassadorial appointments.

That included ambassadors to new embassies in Romania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Lithuania. In all, there are now 70 Irish full diplomatic missions.

The changes included top-level changes in the posts at the United Nations, the Anglo-Irish division and the EU permanent representation in Brussels.

Brendan Scannell, until now head of the Anglo- Irish division is to become the ambassador to Japan. He will be replaced by the ambassador to Israel Patrick Hennessy.

Anne Anderson, the current permanent representative to the EU will become ambassador to France, and will be replaced by another senior diplomat, Bobby McDonagh.

Her counterpart at the United Nations in New York, Richard Ryan will be the new ambassador to the Netherlands to be replaced at the UN by the department’s political director David Cooney.

Other notable appointments involve two former press directors for the department. Dan Mulhall is to be appointed director general of the EU division at headquarters while Dermot Brangan is to be the new ambassador to Mexico.

A spokesman for the department said it was the most wide-ranging and extensive list of diplomatic appointments for many years.

“It reflects the growing number of missions that Ireland has abroad in addition to key appointments at the UN, the EU, Anglo-Irish, and as part our new Asia economic strategy,” he said.

List of ambassadorial appointments:

Brendan Scannell: Japan.

Anne Anderson: France

Richard Ryan: Netherlands.

Declan O’Donovan: Spain.

Bobby McDonagh: EU, Brussels.

David Cooney: UN

Eugene Hutchinson: Malaysia.

Brian Nason: Belgium.

Peter Gunning: Spain.

Thelma Maria Doran: Norway.

Patrick McCabe: Slovenia.