Ambassador of Ireland to the Slovak Republic

Ireland deeply values its relationship with Slovakia and I am proud to serve as Ireland’s Ambassador at our Embassy in Bratislava.

Our people-to-people and cultural ties stretch back for millennia and in more recent times our membership of the European Union has provided a fresh catalyst for deepening our relations.

Although our two countries lie at opposite sides of Europe, our populations are very close in size and as two open economies we share many priorities that are best advanced through working together in partnership.

At a time of unprecedented global uncertainty, our bilateral relations and our partnership within the European Union are more important than ever. Deepening this engagement will be a key priority over the coming period, particularly in view of Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2026.

Moreover, the vibrant Slovak and Irish communities living in our respective countries provide a strong foundation for further building the cultural ties and friendship between our peoples.

Ireland’s relations with the Slovak Republic and the work of the Embassy here in Bratislava are shaped by the Statement of Strategy of the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade for the period 2025-2028.

Serving our citizens and strengthening our communities abroad remains a key priority and I particularly look forward to working closely with our community here in Slovakia over the coming years.

Ian Devine.

Ian Devine has worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 2005.

He has had previous postings in Prague (2006-2009), Vienna (2011-2014) and the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels (2018-2022), with the latter including responsibility for files on EU Hybrid Threats, disinformation, cyber diplomacy and the European Peace Facility.

At Headquarters, responsibilities have included a range of European Union issues, including as Deputy Director of the EU-UK Unit following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. Before taking up post in Bratislava, he worked on Middle East policy at the Department’s Political Division.

Prior to his career in the civil service, Ian studied musicology at Trinity College Dublin and music performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.