, ▁which ▁converted ▁the ▁European ▁Community ▁into ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁establish ing ▁the ▁single ▁currency ▁or ▁Euro , ▁in ▁negoti ating ▁for ▁Ireland ▁large ▁sub vent ions ▁from ▁the ▁EU ' s ▁Struct ural ▁Fund s ▁and ▁C oh es ion ▁Fund s , ▁and ▁in ▁negoti ations ▁rel ating ▁to ▁Europe ' s ▁Common ▁Agricult ural ▁Policy . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁conversion ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁College ▁of ▁St ▁Anthony ▁in ▁Lou v ain ▁into ▁the ▁Le u ven ▁Institute ▁for ▁Ireland ▁in ▁Europe . ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁assist ing ▁in ▁se cur ing ▁funds ▁from ▁the ▁Ireland ▁Fund s ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Round ▁Tower ▁comm emor ating ▁the ▁Irish ▁dead ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁at ▁the ▁Island ▁of ▁Ireland ▁Peace ▁Park , ▁the ▁dedic ation ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁later ▁to ▁attend ▁as ▁Secretary ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Secretary ▁General ▁( i . e ., ▁the ▁permanent ▁civil ▁service ▁head ▁or ▁P erman ent ▁Secretary ) ▁of ▁Ireland ' s ▁Department ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs . ▁and ▁during ▁his ▁ten ure , ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁twenty ▁new ▁Irish ▁diplom atic ▁miss ions ▁in ▁Europe , ▁Latin ▁America ▁and ▁Asia ▁and ▁also ▁contributed ▁to ▁Irish ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁respect ▁to ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Amsterdam ▁am ending ▁the ▁Ma astr icht ▁Tre aty ▁and ▁Single ▁European ▁Act . ▁He ▁also