Pat Binns will soon be reconnecting with his Irish roots.

The former P.E.I. premier was named Canada's ambassador to Ireland by the Department of Foreign Affairs Thursday morning.

Former P.E.I. premier Pat Binns plans to take up his position as ambassador to Ireland next month.
(CBC)

"There is great opportunity for Canada in relation to what's happening in Ireland today," Binns said.

The appointment drew fire from Labrador Liberal MP Todd Russell, who accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives of being hypocrites.

"They've ridiculed the Liberals for patronage and they're the worst," Russell said.

This latest appointment was for "a booted-out premier who didn't have the favour of his province, who didn't have the favour of his people," he said.

Binns, 58, was drubbed by the Liberals in the May provincial election.

"I mean, Stephen Harper is the biggest hypocrite on the face of the planet, as far as I'm concerned," Russell said. 

Binns will replace Christopher Westdal, a career diplomat and former ambassador to Russia who was appointed to Dublin in September 2006.

The fact that Harper had to push out Westdal to make room for Binns is "horrible" and "puts salt in the wound," Russell said.

Binns is looking forward to the appointment in a country "that's developing so rapidly," he said, noting that there are "so many Canadians of Irish descent, some four million."

His grandfather immigrated to Canada from County Monaghan.

The ambassadorship is a four-year term, but the position is held at the whim of the prime minister. The annual salary is in excess of $100,000.

Speculation Binns would quit provincial politics

Binns will meet with the clerk of the legislature Thursday afternoon to review details of his resignation as Opposition leader.

There had been widespread speculation since the provincial election on May 28 that Binns, who had been premier since 1996, would bow out of provincial politics.

In the election, the Conservatives won just four seats, down from the 23 captured in the 2003 vote.

Binns held his seat against Liberal candidate Charlie McGeoghegan in the district of Belfast-Murray River by 397 votes.

Premier Robert Ghiz said he isn't surprised to see Binns step down.

"I thought that he would look to do something else. And I'd just like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Binns on his new appointment and wish him all the best into the future," Ghiz said.

The former premier plans to take up his position in Dublin next month.

With files from the Canadian Press