Geraldine Byrne Nason
Geraldine Byrne Nason (born 1959) is an Irish diplomat who has been the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since August 2017.
Early life and education[]
Nason was born in Drogheda in 1959, and attended Our Lady's College, Greenhills.[1] She has a BA and MA in Literature from St Patrick's College, Maynooth.[2][3]
Career[]
Nason joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1982. She was Director for Governance at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris in the 1990s.[1] She has served at the UN in New York, Vienna, Geneva, and Helsinki.[2]
Nason served as Second Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach from 2011 until 2014, making her the highest ranking female civil servant in the country.[2][4] In summer 2014, she produced a report of issues that might affect Ireland if the United Kingdom left the European Union.[5]
In August 2014, Nason was appointed Ireland's Ambassador to France and Monaco.[2] Alongside her Swedish counterpart, she started an informal network of women ambassadors and journalists in Paris.[6]
In August 2017, Nason was appointed as Ireland's permanent representative to the UN in New York by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, replacing David Donoghue.[2] She was tasked with trying to secure Ireland a seat on the UN Security Council in 2020 and this effort was successful.[7][8]
In 2018 and 2019 Nason chaired the 62nd and 63rd sessions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.[9][10]
Awards and honours[]
Nason was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2014.[2] She has an honorary doctorate of letters from Maynooth University.[1] She received the Freedom of the Town of Drogheda on 10 January 2020.[11]
Personal life[]
Nason is married to Brian Nason, and they have one son.[1]
References[]
- ^ a b c d "New Permanent Representative of Ireland Presents Credentials". United Nations. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Top United Nations role for Geraldine". The Drogheda Independent. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ "Geraldine Byrne Nason". Maynooth University.
- ^ Beesley, Arthur (3 April 2014). "Senior official in Department of Taoiseach to leave position". Irish Times. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ Connelly, Tony (2017). Brexit and Ireland: The Dangers, the Opportunities, and the Inside Story of the Irish Response. Penguin UK. ISBN 9781844884285.
- ^ Marlowe, Lara (9 June 2015). "Irish envoy gathers powerful women together". Irish Times. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ Murphy, Hubert (1 July 2017). "Geraldine is true ambassador for her beloved town". Drogheda Independent. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ "Ireland wins seat at United Nations Security Council". Retrieved 17 June 2020.
- ^ DFAT website
- ^ Take Five "Delivering the quantum change we need is not just a women's issue", 11 March 2019
- ^ Murphy, Hubert (4 January 2020). "Geraldine to gain freedom of Drogheda in January event". Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
External links[]
- Living people
- 1959 births
- People from Drogheda
- Alumni of Maynooth University
- Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth
- Ambassadors of Ireland to France
- Irish women ambassadors
- Permanent Representatives of Ireland to the United Nations
- Members of the Royal Irish Academy