Nominations are hereby invited for the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad.

The Award will provide recognition by the Irish State for persons living abroad, primarily Irish citizens, those entitled to Irish citizenship and those of Irish descent, who have made a sustained and distinguished service to Ireland and/or Irish communities abroad. The Award will not be an honours system and will not confer any legal entitlements or benefits upon the recipients, including a right to Irish citizenship. 

Nominees for this Award should be drawn from the following areas of achievement:

•  Irish community support

• Arts, culture and sport;

• charitable works;

• business and education;

• peace, reconciliation and development.

In order to be eligible for consideration, nominees must be habitually resident outside the island of Ireland and will be required to satisfy the following additional requirement: 

• have rendered distinguished service to the nation and/or its reputation abroad;

•  have actively and demonstrably contributed to Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad in at least one of the above named categories;

•  have a track record of sustained support and engagement with Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad over a period of not less than 5 years.

While the scheme will be open to all persons living abroad, it will be primarily aimed at Irish citizens, those entitled to Irish citizenship and persons of Irish descent, who have made a sustained and distinguished service to Ireland or Irish communities abroad. 

Each submission should make clear the category under which the nomination is being made.  It should include a detailed presentation on the individual’s background and contribution to Ireland, Irish communities abroad or Ireland’s international reputation.

Nominations for the Presidential Distinguished Service Award should be forwarded to the Irish Community and Cultural Affairs Unit, Embassy of Ireland, 17 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HR to be received no later than 5pm Monday 21 May. 

A High Level Panel based in Ireland will consider all nominations received from abroad and will make recommendations to the Government in respect of no more than 10 individuals in any one year.

It is expected that the first awards will be presented by the President in October/November 2012.