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Ambassador Peter Ryan
Ireland's first Ambassador to NZ, Peter Ryan, says relations between the two countries have never been closer.
Ryan leaves NZ with a legacy, which covers trade, culture and community. His next posting is ambassador to Nigeria, where Ireland has one of its largest embassies in the world.
In addition to physically establishing the NZ embassy, Ryan has travelled the length and breadth of the country many times, meeting people. He has been instrumental in setting up a range of business, cultural and community initiatives. These include promoting Irish business networks and supporting Irish/NZ cultural ties, and Ryan and his staff played a major role in repatriating Irish people back to Ireland during the Covid pandemic.
During his four year stint in NZ, FTAs with both the UK and the EU were signed and Ireland even beat the All Blacks in an historic test series.
Perhaps one of Ryan's greatest achievements was growing and bringing to the fore the links between Ireland and Maori and Pacifica people - along with all New Zealanders. One in six people in NZ have Irish heritage.
"Both our embassy here and the NZ one in Dublin, which were established at the same time, would not have been able to hit the found running as they did if it wasn't for the wonderful respect that both countries hold mutually," Ryan told Rural News. "Like any treasure, you have to look after it and nurture it."
Peter Ryan has been a dynamic, energetic individual, who in the space of four years has raised the profile of Ireland in NZ in many ways - especially in the field of agriculture, agritech and culture.
He says the highlight of his time in New Zealand has been seeing the coming together of community and business, taking a new and fresh outlook for the future, which he hopes will strengthen even more the strong links between the two nations.
The Irish Minister of State for Rural Communities says his country and New Zealand face very similar challenges on a range of issues related to agriculture, including climate change, biodiversity and rural depopulation.
In the rural landscapes of New Zealand and Ireland, a shared agricultural heritage thrives, built on a strong mixture of tradition and innovation, with mirror image climates earning both countries global acclaim for their food quality and sustainable agriculture.
MPI director general Ray Smith reckons NZ has a lot to learn from the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority – called Teagasc (pronounced ‘Chog us’).
OPINION: In Ireland, climate change is also causing issues for farmers.
Trevor Mallard has had a colourful career. Now he's got his dream job as Ambassador to Ireland - a country which shares much in common with NZ. Before he left for Ireland, Mallard spoke with Peter Burke.
A 50% tariff slapped by the US on goods from India last month has opened an opportunity for New Zealand wool carpets exports to North America.
There's been unprecedented demand from secondary school students across the country to study agricultural related subjects.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
