Minister for Foreign Affairs announces new Ambassadorial appointments

Mr. Brendan Scannell, at present Second Secretary in charge of Anglo-Irish Division at Headquarters, to be Ambassador to Japan to replace Mr. Pádraig Murphy who will be retiring shortly.

Ms. Anne Anderson, formerly Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels, to be Ambassador to France to replace Mr. Pádraic MacKernan, who has retired.

Mr. Richard Ryan, at present Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, to be Ambassador to the Netherlands to replace Mr. Richard Townsend who will be returning to Headquarters.

Mr. Declan O'Donovan, at present Ambassador to Spain, to be Ambassador to Poland to replace Ms. Thelma Maria Doran.

Mr. Bobby McDonagh, formerly Director General of the European Union Division at Headquarters, to be Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels to replace Ms. Anne Anderson.

Mr. David Cooney, at present Political Director at Headquarters to be Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York to replace Mr. Richard Ryan.

Mr. Eugene Hutchinson, at present Consul General in New York to be Ambassador to Malaysia (and also to Thailand, Laos and Vietnam) to replace Mr. Dan Mulhall who is returning to Headquarters.

Mr. Brian Nason, at present Chief of Protocol at Headquarters, to be Ambassador to Belgium to replace Mr. Barrie Robinson.

Mr. Peter Gunning, at present Deputy Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels to be Ambassador to Spain (and also to Tunisia and Andorra) to replace Mr. Declan O'Donovan.

Ms. Thelma Maria Doran, at present Ambassador to Poland to be Ambassador to Norway to replace Mr. Donal Hamill.

Mr. Patrick McCabe, at present Ambassador to Sweden, to be Ambassador to Slovenia (and also to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia) to replace Mr. Gary Ansbro.

Mr. Pádraic Cradock, at present Head of the Inspection and Internal Audit Unit at Headquarters, to be Ambassador to Romania (a new Mission).

Mr. Donal Hamill, at present Ambassador to Norway, to be Ambassador to the Czech Republic (and also to Ukraine) to replace Mr. Joseph Hayes.

Mr. Barrie Robinson, at present Ambassador to Belgium, to be Ambassador to Sweden to replace Mr. Patrick McCabe.

Mr. Dermot Brangan, at present Counsellor in the Embassy in Washington, to be Ambassador to Mexico (and also to Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Peru and Venezuela) to replace Mr. Art Agnew, who will be retiring shortly.

Mr. Geoffrey Keating, at present Counsellor in the Bilateral Economic Relations Division at Headquarters, to be Ambassador to Bulgaria (a new Mission).

Mr. Tim Mawe, at present Counsellor in the Embassy in Tokyo, to be Ambassador to Latvia (a new Mission).

Mr. Donal Denham, at present Consul General in San Francisco, to be Ambassador to Lithuania (a new Mission).

Mr. Máirtín Ó Fainin, at present Chargé d'Affaires in Uganda, to be Ambassador to Argentina (and also to Boliva, Chile and Uruguay) to replace Mr. Kenneth Thompson.

Mr. Michael Forbes, at present Counsellor in the Permanent Representation in Brussels, to be Ambassador to Israel to replace Mr. Patrick Hennessy who is returning to Headquarters.

Mr. Kenneth Thompson, at present Ambassador to Argentina, to be Deputy Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels, to replace Mr. Peter Gunning.

Mr. Tim O'Connor, at present Joint Secretary in the North/South Ministerial Council in Armagh to be Consul General in New York to replace Mr. Eugene Hutchinson.

Mr. Joseph Hayes, at present Ambassador to the Czech Republic, to be Joint Secretary in the Joint Ministerial Council in Armagh to replace Mr. Tim O'Connor who is going to New York.

Mr. Gary Ansbro, at present Ambassador to Slovenia, to be Joint Secretary in the British-Irish Intergovernment Secretariat in Belfast to replace Mr. Ray Basset who is returning to Headquarters.

Curriculum Vitae of the Ambassadors are available on request.