Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the numbers of Irish officers serving in the EAS, there are six diplomats, soon to be increased to seven, out of a total of 254. Our percentage is slightly higher than our overall proportion of the population at 2.4%. In addition, there are 43 Irish officials working in the European Union institutions who are also working in the EAS. That includes at the most senior level Mr. David O'Sullivan, who holds the post of chief operating officer of the service.

A review of the operation of the EAS is to take place this year but we must remember it is a new service which came into being only in 2010. There was a discussion at the informal Foreign Affairs Ministers' meeting held in Dublin in March about the service and we were aware of the comments made by the European Parliament about the service. As the review of the service proceeds, we will take those on board. It must be borne in mind that this is a new service and that it has huge potential. It is functioning at a time when a lot has been happening, particularly in the EU's neighbourhood: the Arab spring and the situation in the Middle East, the eastern partnership and the huge issues that must be addressed on the European Union's trade relationship with different parts of the world.

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