Former Irish Ambassador to Canada, Jamaica and the Bahamas, Ray Basset, has announced his intention to run for the vacant University of Ireland seat in the Seanad.
Mr. Basset was also part of the Irish Talks Team to the Good Friday Negotiations of 1998, later becoming the government’s representative in Belfast from 2001 to 2005 and part of the Good Friday Agreement’s Implementation team.
The former ambassador has also authored a number of books including Ireland and the EU Post Brexit.
The former diplomat has bucked the trend amongst Irish civil servants in that he has spoken honestly and candidly regarding the EU and Brussels elite, something that is viewed as akin to blasphemy in Irish government circles.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr. Basset said one of his priorities was to reset Ireland’s relationship with the UK, as well putting some distance between Dublin and the EU – while emphasizing his belief that the Irish Government has “lost its way”.
Mr Bassett, argued the case for Ireland quitting the bloc in his 2019 book, Ireland and the EU Post Brexit, explained his position to the Express stating:
“I believe it was always in Ireland’s interests that the UK should be offered a good economic relationship with the EU in a wide range of fields.
“Sometimes during Brexit, it seemed that Dublin was more concerned about looking after the interests of the people in Brussels rather than our national interests. I want to challenge that attitude.”
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