Formation:
1967 Bachelor of Civil Law, University College, Dublin
1968 Bachelor of Laws, University College, Dublin
1969 Diploma in European Studies, Institut européen des hautes études internationales, Université de Nice.
1970-1972 Post graduate Research Assistant at the Max Kohnstamm, Institute for European Studies, Brussels.
Carrière:
1973 Beginning of career in the EU institutions
1973-1975 Directorate General for External Relations, Relations with EFTA countries
1975-1979 Directorate General for External Relations, East European countries and Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe
1979-1983 Directorate General for the Environment with responsibility for negotiations on international environment conventions
1983 Guest Scholar at The Brookings Institution in Washington
August 1984 Appointed Deputy Head of Delegation at the Delegation of the EC for Latin America with headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela
April 1989 Appointed as the first Ambassador, Head of Delegation in Mexico and Cuba
January 1994 Appointed as the first Ambassador, Head of Delegation in South Africa
February 1998 Appointed as Head of OSCE Section in Directorate General for External Relations in Brussels
March 2002 Appointed as Ambassador, Head of Delegation in Slovenia
November 2005 Appointed as European Union Special Representative and Ambassador, Head of Delegation in former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
July 2011 Retirement