Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin received one of only 10 Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Awards 2014 earlier this week.

 

This makes McLoughlin the very first Irish person living in the United Arab Emirates to be recognised by the Irish Government for his contribution to Irish business and communities abroad.

 

The awards were introduced in 2012 with the aim of recognising the Irish abroad who have given sustained service in areas such as business, education, community, arts and culture, sport, charitable works and peace. McLoughlin was nominated in the Business & Education category.

 

Announcing the 10 recipients back in late September, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan noted: “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to these remarkable people for what they have individually contributed to Ireland, to the Irish abroad and our international reputation.”

 

 

(Centre) The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins with Colm and Breeda McLoughlin at the ceremony this week.

 

 

The Presidential Distinguished Service Awards were introduced by the Irish government in 2012 with the aim of recognising persons living abroad who have given sustained and distinguished service in key areas such as business, education, community, arts and culture, sport, charitable works and peace. There were ten recipients of the awards in total.

 

TOP IMAGE: The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins presents the award to Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin at Áras an Uachtaráin [the official Dublin residence of the President of Ireland-Ed] accepting an Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Awards for the Irish abroad (Business and Education category).

TRBusiness ran the original story announcing the honour was imminent on October 1 of this month [click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/index.php/regional/middleeast/16068-colm-mcloughlin-to-receive-irish-presidential-distinguished-service-award.html]