Martin Fraser, the former top civil servant in the Department of the Taoiseach, is to become Ireland’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN), based in New York.
Mr Fraser, who served as the country’s most senior civil servant for more than a decade, has been Ireland’s ambassador in London for the past three years.
Mr Fraser will be replaced in London by Sonja Hyland, currently the deputy secretary general at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ireland’s ambassador in Washington, has been granted an extension to her posting. She is seen as essential to relations with US president Donald Trump’s administration.
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The moves are part of a wide-ranging reshuffle of Ireland’s ambassadors approved by the Cabinet and due to be announced by the department this afternoon.
The new ambassador to France will be Alison Milton. Jonathan Conlon will become ambassador to Poland, moving from Ukraine, and Karen Lynch will become ambassador to the Holy See, based in the Vatican.
In the Asia Pacific region, Noel White will become ambassador to Japan, Seán Hoy moves to South Korea, Damien Cole will go to Singapore and Nora Delaney will become ambassador to Thailand.
In Africa, Ciarán Madden will become ambassador to Ethiopa, Lesley Ní Bhriain moves to Nigeria and Deirdre Clancy moves from Morocco to Senegal.
Olive Hempenstall will become the new ambassador to Argentina.
There are a number of moves in the Middle East as well. Fergal Mythen, currently ambassador to the UN in New York will move to the United Arab Emirates, Aidan Cronin moves to Tehran to become ambassador to Iran and Nicola McHugh will become ambassador to Jordan in Amman.
Laurence Simms, currently joint secretary of the British Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat, will become the ambassador to the UN in Geneva.
There are also a number of consul general appointments to head consulates, including three in the United States – John Forde to Austin, Texas; Paula Molloy to Miami, Florida; and Marianne Bolger to San Francisco.
Peter Neary moves to become consul general in Frankfurt, while Gerry Kelly moves to Vancouver.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, all ambassador-level nominations are subject to the agreement of the receiving State and so currently have the status of “nominations”.
Ireland’s diplomatic network has 103 missions across the world, with 25 new missions opened since 2018. During 2025, new embassies were established in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova, the Department says, while next year new consulates will open in Malaga and Melbourne.
Over half (53 per cent) of Ireland’s missions will be led by women, including Washington DC, the EU, London, Berlin and Paris, officials added.
