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Ambassador's Welcome Address

Amb-Hanney 

Dear friends,

Welcome to the website of the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU. We hope it provides you with an informative overview of Ireland’s engagement with the EU and a helpful insight into the work of the Permanent Representation. I am honoured to join my team of colleagues here as Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the EU.

I am conscious that I am taking over the post of Permanent Representative at a moment of profound crisis as the Covid 19 virus spreads around the globe. My first priority will be to present the Government’s position in the coordinated EU effort to combat the virus, including joint procurement of much needed medical equipment, research into a vaccine, dealing with the devastating economic impact and the immediate effort of repatriating citizens stranded abroad.

Ireland’s Representation to the EU is our largest overseas Mission and includes officials from all Government Departments. Collectively we support the Taoiseach and Government Ministers in promoting and defending Ireland’s interests and values across a very broad spectrum of issues such as climate, digital, migration, the continued development of the Eurozone, trade and competitiveness and, of course, the negotiation of the EU’s future relationship with the United Kingdom.

In our daily work we maintain close contacts with the other Member States, the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament, particularly our Irish MEPs.

At the moment almost all of our staff are teleworking from home and strictly observing the measures such as social distancing necessary to defeat the virus. However, we are maintaining an effective support for the Government in the coordinated European response to overcoming the challenge.

Please look after yourselves and stay safe during this challenging period.

Sincerely,

Tom Hanney
Permanent Representative

Ambassador Thomas Hanney

Born: Dublin, Ireland
Married to Paula Fitzmaurice Hanney, three daughters

Curriculum Vitae

April 2020 - present
Permanent Representative of Ireland to the European Union.
 
January 2017- March 2020
Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Austria and Permanent Representative to the International Organisations in Vienna.
 
September 2011- December 2016
Deputy Permanent Representative of Ireland, Brussels.
Chairman of Coreper I January-June 2013.
 
September 2010-September 2011
Ambassador of Ireland to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of the Liaison Office to the Partnership for Peace at NATO
 
September 2006-September 2010
Joint Secretary, North South Ministerial Council, Armagh, Northern Ireland. The North-South Ministerial Council is an institution established by the Good Friday Peace Agreement and coordinates cooperation between Northern Ireland and Ireland across a wide range of sectors.
 
September 2004-September 2006
Counsellor, EU and International Affairs Division, Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister’s Office, Dublin). Responsible for European Council coordination. Deputy Sherpa.
 
September 1999-September 2004
Counsellor, Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs Dublin, responsible for managing Ireland’s participation in global UN development conferences and for Ireland’s financial contributions to a wide range of UN and other multilateral development organisations.
 
September 1995-September 1999
First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN at Geneva, responsible for disarmament matters.
 
September 1978-September 1995
Third Secretary, First Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, Dublin
Postings at Embassies in Stockholm, Riyadh and Bonn.