asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a report in which it is estimated that 80 posts will eventually be available for Irish citizens in the EEC institutions; and if he will make a statement on the method of recruitment to be adopted in the filling of such posts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Posts.
6.
I have seen the report to which the Deputy refers. The questions of the recruitment of additional staff for the institutions of the Communities to take account of the accession of the four applicant countries and the method of such recruitment are not likely to arise until a later stage.
If and when these vacancies are to be filled, will Irish be an essential qualification for those posts?
That is a separate question.
It is a very relevant question.
The system of recruitment of staff at present in operation in the Community has no such requirement and the system of recruitment for the enlarged Community has not yet been devised. Therefore, I cannot say what will be the special specifications.
Is the Minister satisfied with the state of preparedness of the Irish Civil Service for possible recruitment in the future for any EEC institution in which we would be participating? Is he satisfied that the grades of civil servants who may be involved in such postings have begun the necessary preparation? The Minister will appreciate that these posts will have a tremendously important bearing on how this country might fare in the future.
This is really a separate question. I would not confine to the Civil Service the recruitment of staff for such posts. However, that is not to say that civil servants are any less prepared than are persons in any other sector. There should be a widespread recruitment area but this is no reflection on the Civil Service.
Could the Minister say whether there is any truth in Press reports which suggest that it may be necessary for us to provide all or part of our quota of staff prior to 1st January, 1973 during the course of 1972?
The recruitment of staff at present is on a broad geographical basis and not on national quotas except for certain high level posts in which case national representation is desired but I would expect that there might be recruitment before our accession.
Would the Minister accept that in view of the fact that there are some 10,000 public servants now employed between the Community and the other bodies such as the Coal and Steel Board and EURATOM, the figure of 80 mentioned in the question is extremely low and that all the indications are that the figure will be anything up to 200 at this point, including, for example, divisional heads in the various sections? Would the Minister confirm that from the information available to him?
I would imagine that many people will be required and that many of them will need to be highly competent. For that reason it would be our anxiety to ensure that those who could contribute would now be examining individually their own method of preparation so that they would be available for employment by the Community.
Is the Minister aware of any special preparation in Government agencies?
I think that those in Government agencies are already well prepared. However, I do not think that any country could release a large number of their trained people. At the same time, we could not afford to let any but the best go and for that reason we shall have to have a wider base of recruitment.
The Minister is not aware of any preparation at present?
The people in our Civil Service are already trained for this type of work.
Would the Minister accept——
The Deputy should realise that there are many questions on the Order Paper.
Am I to take it from the Minister's reply that special consideration would be given to applicants from the Gaeltacht regions who, traditionally, have had to emigrate? Will they be able to obtain some good jobs within the Community?
There is not yet in existence a special method of recruitment of the extra staff that will be required from the applicant countries. Therefore, I am not in a position to tell the Deputy what the form of recruitment will be.
(Interruptions.)
I am about the only one in this House who is concerned at the moment.
Would the Minister agree that members of the nine member commission of the EEC are all people of high political standing who are fluent in French and, in most cases, in German? Would he agree that the person we nominate to that post would meet these criteria also?
We shall have to send Deputy FitzGerald there.
I am not accepting applications at the moment.
Can the Minister say if he has on his desk an application from the ex-Minister for Finance?
No.
While I appreciate the Minister's humour, he has not answered me.
I am calling Question No. 7. Deputy FitzGerald must allow questions to continue.
Deputy FitzGerald would do all nine jobs.