O'Loan is given new UN envoy role

Dame Nuala has been appointed to a new UN special envoy role

The former Police Ombudsman Dame Nuala O'Loan has been appointed as the Republic of Ireland's special UN envoy on women and peace-making.

The announcement has been made to coincide with International Women's Day which falls on Sunday.

Dame Nuala is already the Irish Republic's roving ambassador for conflict resolution and special envoy to Timor-Leste.

She was Police Ombudsman from 1999 to 2007.

Dame Nuala described her appointment as a "huge honour".

"What is important is that women play their full role in the business of peace-making, peace building and decision making in international and regional institutions," she said.

"And my role will be to draw focus to that and to facilitate learning from it."