Consular Conversations: Luncheon Interview with the Consul General of Ireland

Global Atlanta’s monthly Consular Conversations series sponsored by Miller & Martin PLLC continues as the editorial team interviews Shane Stephens, Consul General of Ireland, Atlanta.

Potential topics of discussion: 

• Irish posture toward Brexit deal negotiations
• Effect of U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Irish investment
• Status of Irish tech investment in Georgia
• Recent cultural outreach: Frederick Douglass birthday, Northern Ireland delegation on the Good Friday Agreement, and more.
• Reflections on Mr. Stephens’ time in Atlanta
• Expansion of the Irish consulate staff

The format:

• Catered light lunch with soft drinks
• One-on-one conversation with the Global Atlanta editorial team, followed by an audience Q&A
• Discussion covered by Global Atlanta and published in a later article

Our speaker: 

Consul General Stephens assumed his post in Atlanta in July 2015 as the second Irish Consul General for the US Southeastern region, responsible for Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Since joining Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2001, Mr. Stephens has served at Ireland’s Embassies to Tanzania, the Holy See, the European Union, Nigeria and Malaysia.  Immediately prior to his current post, while working as Assistant Chief of Protocol for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin, he was responsible for arranging many of President Michael D. Higgins’ visits abroad and incoming Presidential visits to Ireland.

Consul General Stephens received his BA in History from Trinity College Dublin, and holds an MSc in Political Economy of Transition in Europe from the London School of Economics.  He hails from Dublin and is married with four children.