Patrick Reilly
Biography
Patrick Reilly took up his appointment as the Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Ireland in July 2025.
He has previously served as Deputy Head of Mission at the British High Commission in Wellington .
Patrick is a career diplomatic service officer. He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1995 and worked on the conflict in the former Yugoslavia before being posted to South Africa as a political officer in 1997.
He returned to London in 2000 to work on European Union internal policy before being posted to Dublin as First Secretary working on the Northern Ireland peace process.
Patrick returned to London in 2006 to lead the UK team responsible for the negotiation and ratification of the EU Lisbon Treaty. He then became Deputy Head of Afghanistan Department including a stint in the Cabinet Office as Secretary to the Afghanistan-Pakistan Cabinet Sub-Committee.
Patrick was appointed first head of the National Security Council Secretariat following the election of the coalition Government in May 2010.
Patrick has an Honours Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.
He is married to Sara who is also a diplomat. They have one son, James, born in 2009.
Deputy Head of Mission, Dublin, Ireland
The Deputy Head of Mission is a senior diplomat and typically a key advisor to the Ambassador or High Commissioner. The Deputy is responsible for the daily management of an overseas Embassy or High Commission. They will represent the UK’s interests in the absence of the Ambassador as Chargé d’Affaires. A senior ranking Deputy may also take the title Minister. Smaller missions may not have a Deputy Head.
Previous roles in government
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Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission New Zealand
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Deputy High Commissioner to New Zealand