Presidential Distinguished Service Awards

Only people who live outside the island of Ireland can be nominated for the award. They must have:

• Given distinguished service to Ireland and/or its reputation abroad
• Contributed to Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad in at least one of the categories listed below
• Supported and engaged with Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad for at least five years, or have made a sustained and distinguished service on a global or international issue of importance.

The categories under which individuals can be nominated are:

• Arts, Culture, and Sport
• Business and Economic Development
• Charitable Works and Advocacy
• Climate Action and Food Security
• Education, Science, and Innovation
• Inclusion and Equality
• Irish Community Support
• Peace, Reconciliation, and Development.

While the scheme is open to all people living abroad, it is primarily aimed at Irish citizens, those entitled to Irish citizenship and persons of Irish descent.

The award is not an honours system. It doesn’t give the recipients any legal entitlements or benefits, including Irish citizenship.

Nominations for the award are made through our Embassy network, and are considered by a High Level Panel. The Panel recommends up to a total of 10 people every year from these nominations.

As noted above, the categories under which individuals can be nominated are:

• Arts, Culture, and Sport
• Business and Economic Development
• Charitable Works and Advocacy
• Climate Action and Food Security
• Education, Science, and Innovation
• Inclusion and Equality
• Irish Community Support
• Peace, Reconciliation, and Development

The Panel then submits its recommendations to the Government for approval.

In order to be eligible for consideration, nominees must be habitually resident outside the island of Ireland and able to satisfy the following additional requirements:

(i) have rendered distinguished service to the nation and/or its reputation abroad;

(ii) have actively and demonstrably contributed to Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad in at least one of the categories listed above;

(iii) have a track record of sustained support and engagement with Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad over a period of not less than 5 years

(iv) or have made a sustained and distinguished service on a global or international issue of importance.

Nominations can be made by any member of the public, but are submitted through the Embassy of Ireland in the country of residence of the nominee or the Embassy of Ireland which is accredited to that country. If you know someone who meets the criteria above, please complete the 2026 Nomination Form and forward it to the Relevant Embassies for the country the nominee is resident in, by Friday 8th May.

Made from Irish hardwoods and other locally-sourced materials, the award is made using a combination of modern and traditional technologies at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Letterfrack.

The concept

Designed by Spear Product Design, an award-winning, multidisciplinary design studio based in Dublin, the award is based on the concept of an open door, which leads to the landscape of Ireland. This captures the welcoming nature of both the Irish people and Ireland as a nation.

Find video galleries from previous ceremonies on YouTube.