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
  1. "New Permanent Representative of Ireland Presents Credentials". United Nations. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  2. "Top United Nations role for Geraldine". The Drogheda Independent. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  3. "Geraldine Byrne Nason". Maynooth University.
  4. Beesley, Arthur (3 April 2014). "Senior official in Department of Taoiseach to leave position". Irish Times. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  5. Connelly, Tony (2017). Brexit and Ireland: The Dangers, the Opportunities, and the Inside Story of the Irish Response. Penguin UK. ISBN 9781844884285.
  6. Marlowe, Lara (9 June 2015). "Irish envoy gathers powerful women together". Irish Times. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  7. Murphy, Hubert (1 July 2017). "Geraldine is true ambassador for her beloved town". Drogheda Independent. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  8. "Ireland wins seat at United Nations Security Council". Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  9. DFAT website
  10. Take Five "Delivering the quantum change we need is not just a women's issue", 11 March 2019
  11. "Geraldine to gain freedom of Drogheda in January event".
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