Former Ambassador David Donoghue had a long and varied career in Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

He was involved for many years in the Northern Ireland peace process and was one of the Irish Government’s negotiators for the ground-breaking Good Friday Agreement. Mr Donoghue served at different times as the Irish Ambassador to Russia, Austria, and Germany. From 2001-4 he was the Director-General of Ireland’s development co-operation programme, today known as Irish Aid. He also served as Political Director from 2009-13, a post that gave him responsibility for Ireland’s overall foreign policy.

From 2013-17 he was Ireland's Ambassador to the United Nations. He co-chaired the UN negotiations which in 2015 agreed new Sustainable Development Goals for the world, the largest and most complex negotiations in the UN's history. He also co-chaired the UN negotiations which produced the New York Declaration on migrants and refugees in 2016.

Having retired from the Irish foreign service in 2017, he is contributing today to the work of various think-tanks and academic communities on issues around sustainable development, migrants and refugees and conflict resolution.

David Donoghue brings to his Chairmanship of the Board of SPI a passionate and lifelong interest in film and the film industry as well as varied chairmanship experience and extensive knowledge of the Irish Government system.