Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

No, that was not a problem, Chairman. I thank the Chairman for the opportunity to speak.

I congratulate Mr. Fraser on his appointment as an Irish Ambassador and I understand that he is the third non-career diplomat to be appointed as an ambassador. I may be incorrect on that point but I am aware of two other such appointments.

Senator Craughwell raised the process and I do not wish to personalise this issue by referring to Mr. Fraser’s own appointment but the Secretary General said that it would be good, in the future, were EU, UN or Government special envoy positions generally to be advertised for open competition. I suppose there has been a movement generally in that direction in the Civil Service. I appreciate that there is a very significant difference between an envoy, which is a temporary part-time position, and a position as an ambassador, which Mr. Fraser said was a Department of Foreign Affairs position and then immediately clarified to the effect that it was a Civil Service position.

How are such positions currently advertised and who may apply? I am not talking specifically about the London position. Obviously, for the entry-level positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs, any Irish citizen can apply. There are many Irish citizens in senior positions within the European Union’s diplomatic corps, namely, the European External Action Service and in UN missions across the world. Can they apply or is this competition confined to members of the diplomatic corps or is it confined only to civil servants? Who may apply then for such positions and how are they advertised? If that is not clear, given that Mr. Fraser has made the recommendation, which I understand was a personal opinion, that there should be clarity going forward on how envoys are appointed and that a process should be put in place, does Mr. Fraser believe that a similar process should be put in place and perhaps that there should be a greater openness to external applicants for ambassadorial positions?