Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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65. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of special envoys appointed in the years 2000 to date; the appointment process by which they were chosen; the funds allocated in each year to support their work; the intended duration of their term; if he will report on their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37585/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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For the period 2000 to date, a total of twenty appointments as Special Envoy were made, of which twelve were appointed in the context of Ireland’s campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council.

Information on the appointment process, the funds expended and duration can be found in the Report of the Group Established to Review the Role and Appointment of Special Envoys, completed in October 2021 and covering the period 2010-2021. The Report is available on the website of my Department: Report-of-Group-Established-to-Review-the-Role-and-Appointment-of-Special-Envoys.pdf (dfa.ie).

This Report concluded that Special Envoys appointed by Ireland are seen as having enhanced Ireland’s profile and objectives on specific policy priorities. They also contributed to the success of Ireland’s Security Council campaigns. The Government noted the contents of the Report in November 2021 and accepted the recommendations for the process of appointing future Special Envoys.

The last of the Special Envoys listed in the Report concluded their work in December 2022 and no further Special Envoys have been appointed since then.

In addition to those referred to in the Report, the following Special Envoys were appointed in the period 2000-2009:

Ms Nuala O’Loan, former Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, was appointed by then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., in February 2008 as Roving Ambassador for Conflict Resolution and Special Envoy to Timor-Leste. She also held the role of Special Envoy on the UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325). Both appointments ended in February 2011.

Mr. Chris Flood, former T.D., was appointed by then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., as a Special Envoy in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami of St. Stephen's Day 2004. His role was to outline progress in the recovery effort and, in particular, on the utilisation of Irish Government funds allocated in response to the tsunami disaster. Mr. Flood’s appointment was confirmed in January 2005 and lasted for a period of six months.

Mr. Kevin Farrell, expert on hunger and food security in the international development context, was appointed as Ireland’s Special Envoy on Hunger in January 2009 for an 18-month period, ending in June 2010. The role was developed in response to the Hunger Task Force Report by the Department of Foreign Affairs and announced in January 2009 by then Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power, and then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin.