Eamon Gilmore

Eamon Gilmore is one of the Government leaders who led Ireland from deep recession to economic recovery.

He was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2011 until July 2014, and steering Ireland from an IMF bailout, to become the fastest growing economy in the European Union.

He led Ireland’s successful Presidency of the European Union; was President of the EU’s General Affairs Council and was Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE.

While serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon managed the Northern Ireland Peace Process on behalf of the Irish Government; oversaw and renewed Ireland’s development aid programme and developed a new Government policy to actively engage with the 70 million members of the Irish Diaspora throughout the world.

He was one of the longest serving members of the Irish Parliament and he has served as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Originally from a small farm in the West of Ireland, Eamon graduated from the National University of Ireland, and he worked as a trade union organiser, before his entry to Parliament. During his 7 year tenure as Leader, Eamon led the Irish labour Party to its best ever parliamentary and presidential election results.

Eamon is now actively involved in European and International Affairs, through his human rights and peace work, and through public speaking and teaching. He has lectured on governance, political economy and conflict resolution in several universities and think tanks in Ireland and abroad.

Eamon was named one of Foreign Policy magazine's Top 100 Leading Global Thinkers in December 2015 for championing Same Sex Marriage in Ireland.

In November 2015 Eamon was appointed as HRVP’s Special Envoy for the Peace Process in Colombia. He will work with both Colombian and EU stakeholders to support the peace process, especially in the implementation phase.

He was recently conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Laws by his Alma Mater, NUI Galway, and he has been awarded the Legion d'Honneur by the Government of France.