Vol. 414 No. 5
8 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will list the positions within the United Nations and other international organisations, which are required to be advertised as available to Irish citizens; the number of such positions which have been filled within the past five years; and the number expected to be filled in the next five years.
My Department have no direct responsibility for recruitment to international organisations each of which operate independently. However, it is Government policy to actively encourage and assist suitabily qualified Irish applicants for posts in international bodies. Primary responsibility for implementation of this policy lies with the Department of Finance and the position in relation to maintaining and, where possible, increasing Ireland's representation is closely monitored by that Department in consultation with my own Department and the Department of the Taoiseach.
Because each international organisation operates an independent recruitment policy and because applicants pursue a number of different channels in applying for posts that become vacant, my Department are not in a position to say how many Irish candidates have gained employment with international bodies in the past five years, nor is it possible to accurately forecast how many such posts will be filled by Irish applicants in the next five years. I am, however, in a position to indicate, based on the best information available to my Department at present, the current number of Irish personnel employed in various international organisations. This information is contained in the table which I will circulate in the Official Report.
Every effort is made by the international recruitment section of the Department of Finance, in consultation with my Department, to give as wide a circulation as possible of all advertised vacancies in international bodies and to assist and encourage suitably qualified Irish candidates to apply. In addition, the Overseas Development Co-operation Division of my Department circulate a monthly abstract of technical vacancies in international bodies. Copies of this abstract are available to interested inquirers on request from the Department.
|
Number |
|
|
Name of Organisation |
of Irish |
|
Personnel |
|
|
United Nations Secretariat (UNS) |
109 |
|
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) |
91 |
|
Council of Europe |
10 |
|
Commission of the European Communities |
314 |
|
Council of the European Communities |
45 |
|
European Parliament |
58 |
|
European Court of Justice |
18 |
|
Court of Auditors |
10 |
|
European Investment Bank |
21 |
|
Economic and Social Committee |
11 |
|
International Labour Organisation (ILO) |
23 |
|
World Health Organisation(WHO) |
31 |
|
International Trade Centre (ITC) |
4 |
|
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) |
11 |
|
UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) |
18 |
|
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) |
4 |
|
World Intellectual Property Organisation |
5 |
|
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) |
20 |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) |
14 |
|
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) |
20 |
First, I thank the Minister for the information. Is the Minister in a position to say how many officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the period to which my question refers sought such vacancies and those who were successful? Will the Minister agree that it is a requirement of all the bodies within the United Nations and other agencies referred to in my question that such vacancies be advertised publicly? Will he interpret for me what is meant by the phrases, "suitably qualified" and "as wide a circulation as possible"? For example, does the definition "as wide a circulation as possible" include the placing of public advertisements in newspapers, as occurs in other countries?
My information is that all vacant posts in the Community are advertised in the official journal of the European Community.
What is the position in relation to the United Nations and other related international bodies?
The majority of vacant technical posts in the United Nations are notified to my Department and to the Department of Finance. They are circulated by both Departments. The Department of Finance give them the same circulation as EC vacancies, while my Department circulate each month a document called The Abstract of Technical Assistance, which contains all vacancies notified to them by the United Nations agencies. That document is sent to between 250 and 500 Irish people who have indicated their interest in such jobs.
As I said we are notified of the majority of posts. While that is so, I understand that the organisations involved would, of course, fill a number of posts locally or from within present staff. I hope the position is satisfactory and if I have any reason to believe it is not I shall be glad to examine the matter to find out whether the list should be expanded.
I wish to tidy this matter up. I am glad to receive the information from the Minister. What takes place in other countries is that the interpretation of "suitably qualified" and "as wide a circulation as possible" include making it possible for all suitably qualified members of their citizenry — graduates and others — to apply for such posts as for any other post through advertisement in the public press. Will the Minister agree that Ireland is out of step in its practice and that in view of the number of very highly qualified, highly motivated and idealistic people who would apply for such jobs, it would be better to advertise publicly rather than to use a somewhat private and, as many would view it, somewhat unaccountable list?
While I am not saying I would not be prepared to consider the system and determine whether it can be improved, I would not want any Member to believe that the list is private. The list should not be private, I would not want it to be private nor would I have it private.
As I understand the position, any person who expresses an interest in vacancies of that kind is put on a list and when the Department have information in relation to such matters it is circulated to those people.
I shall discuss the matter and determine whether the system should be expanded. If I believe the system should be expanded it will be. Like Deputy Higgins, I would not want any person to think there is an exclusive list and that one has to be on it or has to have special qualifications to get on the list. I would not have that.
