European Commission appoints new Head of Representation in #Ireland

Gerard Kiely (pictured) will take up office as the new head of the European Commission's Representation in Ireland on 1 October 2016. He brings more than thirty years' European and international affairs experience as well as strong communication skills to this post.

He joined the European civil service in 1989, specializing in International Relations on Agriculture. Previously he worked for eight years at the Irish Farmers' Association, based first in Ireland, as an economist and Liaison Officer (1981–1984), and subsequently in Belgium as director of the Association's Brussels office (1984–1989).

In the Commission, Kiely started as an official dealing with the international affairs of agriculture. In 1991, he became Spokesperson for Agriculture Commissioners Ray Mac Sharry, René Steichen and Franz Fischler, staying in this post until 1999. He has then served, from 2000 to 2003, as Head of the Agriculture, Food Safety, Consumer Affairs and Fisheries Section of the EU Delegation in Washington, DC.

More recently, Kiely occupied a series of managerial posts in the Directorate General for Agriculture, including over the last six years as Head of the Unit for Pre-Accession Assistance.

Kiely obtained his Master's Degree in Agricultural Economics and his Degree in Agricultural Science from University College Dublin – both with Honours.