Michael Ring
Ceist:107 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Finance the reason Ireland failed to secure a single key post in the top management team of the new European Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14723/98]
Written Answers. - European Central Bank Appointments.
Naturally, I would have welcomed the appointment of an Irish person to the most senior management posts in the European Central Bank but, in accordance with the EC Treaty, this is an internal European Central Bank matter and is not a matter for Ministers.
I understand that appointments to 55 senior management positions were agreed by the European Central Bank on 9 June 1998. Of these, 49 were recruited directly from the European Monetary Institute, including three Irish people. Of the six new appointments, three (non-Irish) were Governor Alternates at the European Monetary Institute. Another person was appointed press officer; the ECB is based in Frankfurt and this person is a German national. Another appointee is a Portuguese Professor of Economics who was the chairman of the alternates to the EU Monetary Committee. The last appointee, from Finland, is an expert on banknotes. To my knowledge, no one from my Department applied for any of these positions. As regards the Central Bank of Ireland, this is a matter for the Governor. Of course it would have been open to any Irish national, regardless of their current place of employment, to apply directly for such jobs without informing myself as Minister for Finance or the Governor.