Ms Noelle O'Connor:

Since its foundation, European Movement Ireland has worked on encouraging Irish people to consider the European Union and its various institutions as a viable career alternative in order that there is a pipeline of Irish officials working in the different institutions. We work with the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Commission, the Parliament and the Public Appointments Service in that respect. Our organisation conducts a graduate jobs in Europe campaign. We go around the country speaking in third level institutions. If requested, we give career talks to provide guidance and advice.

The Senator mentioned Irish people working in the EU institutions. We have been fortunate to have incredibly high-calibre people at the top levels such as the former President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox; the former Secretary General of the Commission, Catherine Day; and David O'Sullivan, EU ambassador to the USA under the EU external action services. While there has been strong Irish representation at the top level, the cohort of Irish officials who joined the institutions around the time of Irish accession to the European Union is approaching retirement age. There is a challenge to make sure Irish people apply for the different roles. We are working very actively on this and the Government is very cognisant of it. Languages are a huge challenge and it is an area on which we need to focus a lot more.