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Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021

Thursday, 24 June 2021

Questions (122)

Neale Richmond

Question:

122. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the EU jobs strategy of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33048/21]

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Written answers

The Programme for Government commits to increasing the presence of Irish people in the EU Institutions. The new Strategy to implement this, ‘A Career for EU’, was approved by Government at the beginning of May and subsequently launched by the Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, TD on 6 May 2021.

As the Deputy is aware, Ireland faces a ‘demographic cliff’ in its representation among the staff of the EU’s Institutions, as senior Irish officials retire. At the same time, there are fewer Irish citizens entering into the system at junior grades. The new strategy is intended to address these issues, including with the aim of having 50 Irish citizens to have succeeded in gaining permanent positions in the EU Institutions by 2030.

The new strategy builds upon existing work presently carried out by my Department in promoting careers in the EU and includes a wide range of actions to significantly increase the numbers of Irish officials in both permanent and temporary positions within the EU Institutions over the coming years.

1. Increased promotion and outreach regarding EU career opportunities, including traineeships, to second and third-level students.

2. Providing more tailored support and training to Irish candidates applying for posts in the EU Institutions.

3. Providing additional resources dedicated to supporting the use of Irish as an official EU language, including by making training material available in Irish.

4. Increasing the funding of the Centrally Funded Scheme for Seconded National Experts to more than double, to 50, the number of civil servants seconded annually to the EU Institutions.

1. Expanding the current post-graduate scholarship programme, to enable at least 10 Irish students to study at the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin.

2. Creating a stream within the Irish civil service for EU specialists, who will be assisted in applying for posts in the EU Institutions.

The implementation programme has commenced.  For example, Minister Byrne has met with careers services representatives from Third Level institutions, while a webinar on language careers in the EU is being organised by the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU.

I would encourage that those interested in careers in the EU institutions to consult my Department’s website www.dfa.ie/eujobs for more information.

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