Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1331. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice the number of staff members posted at the Irish Permanent Representation to the European Union, including all counsellors and attachés, in each of the past seven years 2016 to 2022; the functions of each staff member; new posts that have been created or discontinued, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30051/22]
View answerThe Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) team at Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels currently consists of seven officials from my Department, made up of one counsellor, four first secretaries (attachés) and two administrative staff (1 EO and 1 CO).
The role of officials in the JHA team is to offer assistance to Ministers and other delegates during visits to Brussels, and to advance Irish policy objectives and the Department’s mission in EU matters, under the direction of the relevant Departmental experts.
Staff of the Permanent Representation participate in various working groups dealing with Justice and Home Affairs issues, including to support Ministerial attendance and participation in EU Justice & Home Affairs Councils, and more generally to ensure good communication between the Department of Justice in Dublin and relevant contacts in the EU institutions and other EU Member States.
In June 2016 there was one counsellor, two attachés and three administrative staff (1 HEO, 1 EO and 1 CO). In 2017 a new attaché post was created. In 2020 an administrative staff role (HEO) was upgraded to attaché, resulting in the current breakdown of one counsellor, four attachés and two administration staff.
