Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I agree. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade strongly supports Irish candidates who are seeking positions in European Union institutions. As the Deputy acknowledged earlier, there are now more member states, with a 28th state joining in July. We have done very well as a country in terms of senior positions and influential positions in the European Union apparatus and I hope that can continue. Irish officials who serve in the European institutions, including those who serve in the EAS, have a very good reputation and are highly regarded. We are proud of that and I pay tribute to the work our officials are doing in the Permanent Representation in Brussels during a very effective seventh Irish Presidency of the European Union. They are working hard and are a great team of people who have done us proud during this six month period.

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