Missing Irish UN man confirmed dead

THE Government yesterday paid tribute to United Nations worker Andrew Grene after it was confirmed he had been killed in the devastating Haiti earthquake.

The 44-year-old had been working for the UN mission in the Caribbean island and was in the UN Headquarters building at a meeting when the quake struck.

Born in Chicago to an Irish father, and an Irish passport holder, Grene was schooled in Belturbert in Co Cavan and was a regular visitor to Ireland.

One of Andrew’s brothers, Nicholas, is an English lecturer at Trinity College Dublin.

Frantic efforts had been made by his family to trace Mr Grene following the earthquake, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin greeted the confirmation of his death by acknowledging the work he had been doing in Haiti.

“I have learned with great regret from the UN of the death of Mr Andrew Grene in such tragic circumstances in Haiti,” Mr Martin said.

“I want to extend my own personal condolences and that of the Irish Government to his family in the United States and Ireland on this very sad occasion.

“He was a true humanitarian, working for the good of the people of Haiti. His post in the UN in Haiti was as assistant to the Secretary General’s Special Representative Mr Hedi Annabi, who also tragically lost his life when the earthquake struck.

“Andrew is part of a long and honourable Irish tradition of public service with the United Nations. His family, and indeed Ireland, can be very proud of his work.”

Andrew Grene’s twin brother, Gregory, had revealed before confirmation of his death that his family had been experiencing a difficult time during the search.

Mr Grene’s wife Jennifer is from Belfast and the couple have three children – two boys and a girl.

At least 40 members of the UN mission in Haiti have been confirmed as dead and almost 200 others are still missing.