Ray Bassett

Senior Fellow on EU Affairs


Ray Bassett is Dublin born. He was educated at The O’Connell School and Trinity College, Dublin. He obtained a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Trinity. He specialised in the study of the vitamin Folic Acid. He changed career from clinical biochemistry to the Irish Diplomatic Service, serving in Belfast, London, Canberra, Copenhagen and Ottawa. Bassett was part of the Irish Government Talks Team during the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement negotiations. He went on to serve as Irish Joint Secretary to the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Belfast, 2001-2005. He subsequently headed up the Irish Consular Service and the Irish Abroad Unit, which deals with relations with the Irish Diaspora. He spent his last six years in the Diplomatic Service as Irish Ambassador to Canada, Jamaica and the Bahamas. Since his retirement in October 2016, he has become a columnist with the Sunday Business Post.

Ray Bassett

Related Posts & Publications

After Brexit: Will Ireland be next to exit?

After Brexit: Will Ireland be next to exit?

by | Jul 3, 2017

Read Publication The position of Ireland in the Brexit negotiations has been one of the three lead issues in the talks between David Davis, the Brexit Secretary and Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator. Ireland is the EU country most politically, historically,...
An Irish perspective on the Brexit Talks so far

An Irish perspective on the Brexit Talks so far

by | Jul 30, 2017

As the summer break approaches, and with the first two rounds of Brexit negotiations completed, some early assessments can be made about the state of play. The general feeling on both sides of the Channel seems to be one of frustration. The EU Chief Negotiator, Michel...