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Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023

Tuesday, 18 April 2023

Questions (1802)

Denis Naughten

Question:

1802. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of staff within his Department who are based and working with the European Union in Brussels; their present roles and responsibilities; the posts and responsibilities presently vacant; the corresponding figures on 23 June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16561/23]

View answer

Written answers

My Department has one member of staff working as Research and Innovation Attaché in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels. The officer represents Ireland at the Working Party on Research, which handles matters in the research and innovation area, including legislation prior to discussion at the Competitiveness Council meetings.

The working party mainly focuses on:

• European research framework programmes and other European research and innovation-related instruments

• European Research Area (ERA) and general framework conditions for European research

• International agreements in the area of research, science and technology

Additionally, the officer works closely with all teams within the Permanent Representation of Ireland in ensuring that they contribute to overall collective Ireland interests.

While the Education Attaché is a member of Department of Education, the officer also undertakes work on behalf of my Department. This post is a key position, particularly in light of the significantly increased profile of education and training issues in the EU’s European Education Area Initiative, EU Education and Training Strategy and European Semester process. The Attaché has involvement in education issues at all levels in which European policy co-operation is being developed and in Ireland’s participation in European Programmes, including Erasmus+, the European Social Fund, the European Globalisation Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative. In addition, the Attaché represents my Department on the Education committee, OECD Education Policy Committee in Paris and participates in related OECD activities, as necessary.

There are no corresponding figures for 2016, as my Department was recently established in 2020.

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