Ambassador of Ireland to Australia

Following is H.E. Ms Fiona Flood's speech on the occasion of presentation of her credentials at a reception at Ambassador's official residence in Canberra:

Céad Míle Fáilte romhaibh go léir chuig Teaghlach na hÉireann in Astráil. Is mór an onóir dom céiluireadh a dhéanamh libh anocht ar an ócáid specialta seo.

One hundred thousand welcomes to you all to Ireland’s home in Australia. It is a great honour for me to celebrate with you tonight on this special occasion.

Let me firstly acknowledge and pay my respects to Ngunnawal people, the traditional custodians of this land on which we gather. I would like also to thank those members of the Ngunnawal people whom we met earlier today who bestowed their blessing and protection on us in a smoking ceremony at the Governor-General’s house.

When reflecting on the relationship between Ireland and Australia, I found it useful to think about it in the context of three “H’s”: Home, Heritage and High Fliers.

In terms of home, for centuries Australia has given Irish people a home, when we were fleeing famine, when we were exiled for one reason or another, and when we were escaping economic hardship or conflict during the Troubles; or, as one wisecrack said to me, as refugees from the Irish rain.

The Irish Government recognises the huge importance of Australia in our Diaspora Strategy, our Emigrant Support Programme and, in a most concrete fashion, in the decision to open our newest diplomatic mission in Australia, a Consulate in Melbourne in early 2026. The timing is auspicious, as we will celebrate eighty years of diplomatic relations with Australia next year.

And so to the second H, our shared heritage. I like to think that the Irish over the centuries have given a lot back to Australia. Our histories are intertwined, despite the distance between us. So much of what makes Australia, Australia we like to claim as having Irish roots. Where, for example, do you think the Aussies got their larrikin DNA from – that which is cheeky, mischievous, rebellious but oh so loveable? That was from us…!

Whether it be film, literature, culture, music or language, we have left our mark on modern Australia. Not to mention sport, AFL, AFLW, cricket, horseracing and much more, where there is Aussie sporting excellence, you will find Irish men and women making their mark.

So to the third H: High Fliers. I am delighted that Lydia Rogers, Head of Ireland’s trade promotion agency, and Marko Previšić, Head of the Industrial Development Authority of Ireland, are with us tonight. I have seen firsthand in the past three weeks just how effectively both EI and IDA work collaboratively with our Consul General in Sydney, who is also with us tonight, to tap into the huge resource that is the high-flying Irish business community in Australia.

I have seen and heard about the Irish women high-fliers, women like the Irish woman who is CFO of the Australian Reserve Bank, the Irishwoman who is President of BHP, Australia’s largest mining company, the Irish woman who is Head of Paramount Pictures Australia, Irish women who are managing partners in the Big Four and CEOs of major financial corporations. I should add that Irish men are doing great in Australia too! Young Irish arrivals have always contributed to Australian society, and can still be found throughout Australia’s hospitals, schools, law firms and in the mining sector too.

Just two final points: Ireland is a committed member of the European Union and as such, we are eager to see a turbo-charging of our economic relationship if we can conclude a Free Trade Agreement in the coming period. And it is an Australian with Irish heritage, Minister for Trade, Don Farrell, who is in pole position to help us get there.

Finally, my brief extends to a number of Pacific island nations, and as a small island ourselves, we decided some time ago that we would develop a strategy to deepen our relationships in the Pacific region and advocate for the SIDS, for example in the EU. With our recent decision to join the Pacific Resilience Facility with an initial contribution of €3m, we are adding financial support to that advocacy role. Ireland’s involvement in the region extends to the private sector too, with an Irish company acting as the leading provider of money transfer services to thirteen Pacific island states.

Tá súil agam go mbaineann sibh taitneamh as an oíche, as an gcomhluadar anseo anocht. Go raibh míle maith agaibh as an fáilte chroíúil – Sláinte.

Fiona Flood

Ambassador

Biography

2025 Ambassador of Ireland to Australia

2025 Ambassador-designate of Ireland to Republic of Fiji, Republic of Nauru, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

2023-July 2025 Ambassador of Ireland to Brazil, and Ambassador to Guyana, Suriname and the Caribbean Community, CARICOM.

2020-2023: Deputy Head of Mission, Director of Brexit and EU Affairs, Embassy of Ireland, London,

2016-2020: Director of Security and Corporate Compliance, Department of Foreign Affairs

2011-2016: Director of Economic Migration Policy and EU Employment Policy, Department of Enterprise

2007-2011: Deputy Director of Ireland’s Labour Inspectorate

2005-2007: Human Rights Policy Officer and representative to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the United Nations, Geneva

2004-2005: First Secretary, British-Irish Secretariat, Belfast, Northern Ireland

2000-2004: First Secretary, Justice and Security Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs

1997-2000: Vice Consul of Ireland, Consulate of Ireland, Chicago

Education:

BA in Languages and International Marketing from Dublin City University

MSc in Public Sector Innovation from the University of Ulster.

Languages: German, French, Portuguese, Irish, some Dutch.