▁directed ▁the ▁campaign ▁for ▁Ireland ' s ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Security ▁Council . ▁Later ▁in ▁his ▁ten ure ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁dispute ▁with ▁a ▁newly ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁for ▁Foreign ▁Affairs , ▁David ▁Andrew s , ▁rel ating ▁to ▁the ▁promotion ▁and ▁posting ▁of ▁diplom ats ▁and ▁the ▁dem arc ation ▁between ▁the ▁ap olit ical ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁service ▁in ▁propos ing ▁candidates ▁and ▁the ▁political ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁Government ▁in ▁confirm ing ▁them . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁the ▁imp asse ▁became ▁public ▁and ▁received ▁wide ▁coverage ▁in ▁Irish ▁media . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁Irish ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁France . ▁In ▁Paris ▁he ▁was ▁notable ▁in ▁prom oting ▁Franco - I r ish ▁relations ▁in ▁the ▁political , ▁economic ▁and ▁cultural ▁areas . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Management , ▁he ▁supported ▁the ▁rest oration ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁Irish ▁College ▁in ▁Paris ▁and ▁its ▁transformation ▁into ▁the ▁Irish ▁Cultural ▁Centre . ▁As ▁amb assador ▁to ▁France ▁he ▁attended ▁various ▁British ▁comm emor ations ▁for ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁II ▁in ▁his ▁official ▁capacity . ▁His ▁achiev ements ▁in ▁France ▁were ▁recogn ised ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁Government ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁hon oured ▁as ▁a ▁Grand ▁Offic ier ▁de ▁l ' Ord re ▁national ▁du ▁M ér ite ▁shortly ▁before ▁his ▁ret irement . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁and ▁death ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁retired . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁he ▁was